Two Asian American astronauts join the team heading to the moon

NASA

The 18 astronauts aiming for the moon.

NASA has selected 18 astronauts from its corps to form the Artemis Team and help pave the way for the next astronaut missions on and around the Moon as part of the Artemis program.

Among the astronauts chosen for his mission are two Asian Americans: Air Force Col. Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari and Navy Seal Jonny Kim. They were among the NASA graduates who have successfully completed their over two years of basic astronaut training in 2019.

Two members of this team are expected to become the first American man and woman to return to the moon since 1972. The first Artemis mission – an uncrewed test mission known as Artemis 1 – is still expected to launch in November 2021. The Artemis program aims to carry humans back to the moon and eventually onwards to Mars.

Vice President Mike Pence introduced the 18 members of the Artemis Team last week (Dec. 9) during the eighth National Space Council meeting at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“I give you the heroes who will carry us to the Moon and beyond – the Artemis Generation,” said Vice President Mike Pence. “It is amazing to think that the next man and first woman on the Moon are among the names that we just read. The Artemis Team astronauts are the future of American space exploration – and that future is bright."

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The agency’s modern lunar exploration program will land the first woman and next man on the Moon in 2024 and establish a sustainable human lunar presence by the end of the decade.

Although 2024 is the target year for mankind to once again set foot on the moon, that deadline, set by the Trump administration, may be difficult to meet because funding has not been approved by Congress.

“We are in the midst of negotiating to get that lander funded,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told the Space Council during an update on the Artemis program. “This has to be generational in nature, which means strong bipartisan support is necessary.

“But ultimately, if we don’t get the (requested) $3.3 billion, it gets more and more difficult. … If there’s anything you can do to help with the $3.3 billion, we are certainly asking for that.”

NASA will announce flight assignments for astronauts later, pulling from the Artemis Team. Additional Artemis Team members, including international partner astronauts, will join this group, as needed.

“We are incredibly grateful for the president and vice president’s support of the Artemis program, as well as the bipartisan support for all of NASA’s science, aeronautics research, technology development, and human exploration goals,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “As a result, we’re excited to share this next step in exploration – naming the Artemis Team of astronauts who will lead the way, which includes the first woman and next man to walk on the lunar surface.”

The astronauts of the Artemis Team will help NASA prepare for the coming Artemis missions, which begin next year working with the agency’s commercial partners as they develop human landing systems; assisting in the development of training; defining hardware requirements; and consulting on technical development. They also will engage the public and industry on the Artemis program and NASA’s exploration plans.

The Artemis astronauts come from a diverse range of backgrounds, expertise, and experience. 

As the son of immigrants, The 33-year old Kim, who is also a medical doctor, wants to "inspire the next generation of children who don't have the confidence, to dream, like I did."

Test pilot Chari, 44, is also looking forward to help youngsters achieve their dream. "Newton talks about standing on the shoulders of giants ... I'm definitely not a giant, but if I can throw out a stepping stone out there, that would be my goal."

Two AAPI astronauts shoot for the moon ... or Mars

NASA PHOTOS

New astronauts Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari, left, and Jonny Kim.

Among the United States' newest astronauts are two Asian Americans: Korean American Jonny Kim and Indian American Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari.

The two Asian Americans were among the 11 new NASA graduates who have successfully completed their over two years of basic astronaut training and are all set to be part of space agency's future missions to the International Space Station, the moon and Mars.

The 11 were selected from the program from 18,000 applicants in 2017 after the US space agency announced its Artimis program.

"2020 will mark the return of launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil, and will be an important year of progress for our Artemis program and missions to the Moon and beyond," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine last week at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Chari, the Indian American US Air Force colonel, earned a master's degree in aeronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from the US Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland.

Chari 41, served as the commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Inspired by his father Srinivas Chari, who came to US at a young age from Hyderabad, for engineering degree, with the goal of getting higher education. 

The Milwaukee-born Chari earned a bachelor’s degree in Astronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Earned a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. Graduated from US Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.Kim, 35, is the first Korean American to complete the astronaut program. A graduate of the Harvard Medical School, Kim is also a US Navy Seal.

"My parents were South Korean immigrants who came to America in the early 80s for the hope of a better life for their children," Kim said in a 2017 interview with NASA.

Graduating from Harvard Medical School and being a part of the Navy SEALs must not have been enough accomplishments for Jonny Kim. 

After he graduated high school in Los Angeles, Kim joined the Navy as a Seaman recruit, which eventually led him to obtain the elite military status of a Navy SEAL. He served as a combat medic, sniper, and navigator on more than 100 combat operations across two deployments to the Middle East, NASA said.

At the time of his astronaut selection in June 2017, Kim was a resident physician in emergency medicine with Partners Healthcare at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Kim remains on active duty as a Navy Lieutenant at NASA.

"These individuals represent the best of America, and what an incredible time for them to join our astronaut corps," Bridenstine said.