Douglas will train alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
In the event that a NASA astronaut is unable to participate in the flight, Douglas will join the Artemis II crew.
“Andre’s educational background and extensive operational experience in his various jobs prior to joining NASA are clear evidence of his readiness to support this mission,” said Joe Acaba, chief astronaut at the Johnson Space Center in NASA in Houston. “He excelled in his astronaut candidate training and technical duties, and we are confident he will continue to do so as NASA’s backup crew member for Artemis II.”
CSA announced Jenni Gibbons as its reserve crew member in November 2023. Gibbons would step in to represent Canada if Hansen was unavailable.
“Canada’s placement on the historic Artemis II flight is a direct result of our Canadarm3 contribution to the lunar gateway. “The appointment of Jenni Gibbons as a reserve is of great importance to our country,” said CSA President Lisa Campbell. “Since being recruited, Jenni has consistently distinguished herself through her work with NASA and CSA. She is also an outstanding role model for future Canadian scientists, engineers and explorers.”
The selection of Douglas and Gibbons as reserve crew members for Artemis II is independent of the selection of crew members for Artemis III. NASA has not yet selected crew members for Artemis flights beyond Artemis II. All active NASA astronauts are eligible for assignment to any human spaceflight mission.
The roughly 10-day test flight of Artemis II will launch on the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, test the Orion spacecraft’s life support systems, and prove the skills and techniques necessary for humans live and work in deep space.
More on the backup crew of Artemis II
Douglas graduated from NASA’s astronaut candidate training program in March 2024. He is originally from Virginia and earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, as well as four graduate degrees from various institutions, including a PhD in Systems Engineering from George Washington University in Washington. Douglas served in the US Coast Guard as a naval architect, salvage engineer, damage control assistant and officer of the deck. He also served as a staff member at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, working on marine robotics, planetary defense, and space exploration missions for NASA. Douglas participated in Joint EVA and Human Surface Mobility Mobility Team 5, working with a specialized group that develops, integrates, and executes human in-loop tests, analog missions, and Moonwalks. Most recently, Douglas has worked with teams on the development of the Lunar Terrain Vehicle, the Pressure Rover, the Lunar Gateway, and the Lunar Suit.
Gibbons was recruited as a CSA astronaut in 2017 and completed her basic training in 2020. Since then, Gibbons has continued to serve in Canada’s space program and has worked in various positions, including Mission Control as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) during spacewalks and commercial spacecraft and the daily operations of the International Space Station. Gibbons holds an honors bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal. While at McGill, she conducted research on flame propagation in microgravity in collaboration with CSA and the National Research Council of Canada’s Flight Research Laboratory in Ontario. She holds a PhD in engineering from Jesus College, Cambridge University, England.
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency is laying the groundwork for long-term scientific exploration on the Moon, landing the first woman, first black person and its first international astronaut partner on the lunar surface, and preparing for human expeditions to Mars. the benefit of all.
Learn more about NASA’s Artemis campaign at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis
-end-
Rachel Kraft/Madison Tuttle
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov/madison.e.tuttle@nasa.gov
Courtney Beasley
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov