Biden Bits: “Here on Earth”…

December 20, 2023 12:00 pm EST Tiff Biden Tweets (Open Thread) Comments Off on Biden Bits: “Here on Earth”…
Biden Tweets Christmas Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Wednesday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 12/20/2023:

8:40 AMOut-of-Town Pool Call Time
Joint Base Andrews Overhang Out-of-Town Pool
9:00 AM
Presidential Daily Brief		The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Closed Press
9:35 AM
Left the White House		The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews
South Lawn Open Press
9:55 AM
Left Joint Base Andrews		The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Joint Base AndrewsOut-of-Town Pool
10:30 AM
Press Gaggle		Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby Gaggle Aboard Air Force One
11:45 AM
Arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin		The President arrives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Open Press
1:45 PM
Remarks		The President delivers remarks at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce
Open Press
3:55 PM
Leaves Milwaukee, Wisconsin		The President departs Milwaukee, Wisconsin en route to Joint Base Andrews
Out-of-Town Pool
5:40 PM
Arrives at Joint Base Andrews		The President arrives at Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base AndrewsOut-of-Town Pool
6:00 PM
Arrives at the White House		The President arrives at the White House
South Lawn

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby Gaggle Aboard Air Force One @10:30 a.m. D.C., time (replay):


From the White House…

12/20/2023:

FACT SHEET: President Biden to Highlight How His Investing in America Agenda Has Led to a Black Small Business Boom:

Black small business ownership is growing at the fastest pace in over 30 years, and President Biden will announce new investments to support underserved communities.

Today, President Biden will visit the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce to highlight how Bidenomics is helping drive a Black small businesses boom and announce new investments in Milwaukee and communities across the country. Under President Biden’s leadership, the United States is on track to have the three strongest years in history for new small business applications, and with Black business ownership growing at the fastest pace in 30 years.

President Biden will be joined by the founder and owner of Hero Plumbing, a Black-owned small business removing lead pipes in Milwaukee, which will help meet President Biden’s commitment to remove all lead service lines in the country by the end of the decade and benefit from the historic $15 billion in funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  

While President Biden highlights historic investments from his Administration to support small business, including Black-owned businesses, extreme Republicans in Congress have repeatedly tried to dismantle the President’s small business agenda. Every single Republican opposed the American Rescue Plan, which helped small businesses stay afloat during the pandemic and spurred a record small business boom. Many Republicans in Congress, including Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, opposed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. They also want to repeal key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that are lowering health care, prescription drug, and energy costs. President Biden will continue fighting for opportunity for working families and small business owners, while Republicans in Congress want to return to failed trickle-down economics that for too long left too many communities behind.

Beyond attacks from Republicans in Congress, over the past few months, there has been an intentional effort to erode ladders to Black economic opportunity.  The President understands that diversity contributes to our economic security and he has made unprecedented investments in Black communities to preserve the American dream.  

White House.gov. 12/20/2023.

Investing in Black Entrepreneurship and Opportunity

Small businesses like Hero Plumbing are the backbone of the U.S. economy, creating jobs and opportunities in local communities. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has driven historic gains in small business creation and entrepreneurship.  Since taking office, Americans have filed a record 15 million applications to start new businesses. Black business ownership is growing at the fastest pace in 30 years, and the share of Black households owning a business has doubled between 2019 and 2022, after falling between 2007 and 2019.

When Black businesses do well, they create jobs, generate wealth in their local communities and make the broader economy stronger. As a result, Black wealth is up a record 60% from before the pandemic and Black unemployment has reached historic lows. The Administration’s investment in Black entrepreneurs is producing results, including:

White House.gov. 12/20/2023.
  • Nearly $70 billion—a new record—in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 on federal contracts awarded to small, disadvantaged businesses (SDBs).
  • $12 billion in community lenders to expand access to capital and resources to too-often sidelined entrepreneurs. The U.S. Department of Treasury estimates that these investments in community lenders will result in a $50 billion increase in lending to Latino communities and a nearly $80 billion increase in lending to Black communities over the next decade. 
  • $10 billion in in states, tribes, and territories to launch and expand capital access programs for roughly 100,000 small businesses, including $79 million to Wisconsin.

New investments and small business growth and local communities across the country

Investing in local, community-led economic development and small businesses is critical to President Biden’s commitment to build the economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. Milwaukee has seen an economic comeback under President Biden, with the share of the Black population employed reaching a more than decade high and new business applications up nearly 70%.

Building on this progress, President Biden will announce that the Grow Milwaukee Coalition is one of 22 finalists for the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Distressed Area Recompete Pilot (Recompete) Program. This program, funded by the CHIPS and Science Act, is focused on investing in quality job creation, small business growth and economic opportunity in America’s hardest-hit communities.

The Grow Milwaukee Coalition proposal would invest in revitalizing Milwaukee’s historic 30th Street Industrial Corridor and connecting the historically segregated Black community to economic opportunity across the city. Of the 22 Recompete finalists across 19 states and Puerto Rico, eight are specifically focused on growing Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurship and supporting economic development in disadvantaged communities that are majority-Black.

The 22 Recompete finalists will compete for $190 million in flexible implementation funding for locally-led economic development plans to create and support small businesses, train workers and connect them to good-paying jobs, investment in infrastructure, and technical assistance.

White House.gov. 12/20/2023.

Today’s announcements build on historic progress and investments in Black-owned businesses:

  • President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) is supporting small businesses, including Black-owned small businesses in Wisconsin and across the country through:
    • A $10 billion investment, including $79 million in Wisconsin, to help small businesses access the capital they need.  The American Rescue Plan invested $10 billion to launch and expand capital access programs for roughly 100,000 small businesses. To date, the Treasury Department has already approved more than $8 billion in funding to all 50 states and an additional $108 million in technical assistance grants to 32 states.  These funds include $79 million in capital dollars and $1.9 million in technical assistance for Wisconsin.
    • The largest-ever dedicated federal investment to connect minority small businesses to support.  The Small Business Community Navigators Pilot Program provided $100 million in funding to 51 organizations, including U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce and the National Urban League, that worked with local groups to connect entrepreneurs to resources to help their small businesses recover and thrive.  A recent SBA analysis shows that shows that Community Navigators provided training and counseling to more than 350,000 small businesses, and roughly 43% of the businesses served were Black-owned.
    • The largest-ever direct federal investment in small business incubators and accelerators. The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Capital Readiness Program awarded 43 non-profit community-based organizations $125 million in funding to support underserved entrepreneurs launch and scale their small businesses, including $3 million for Wisconsin.
    • Delivering roughly $150 million in support for small businesses in Wisconsin.  The state of Wisconsin leveraged the ARP to provide $75 million for 5,200 businesses with Main Street Bounce Back Business Grants and invest $73 million in the Diverse Business Assistance Program to assist chambers and non-profit organizations providing assistance to small businesses.
  • President Biden’s Small Business Administration delivered $50 billion to small businesses in Fiscal Year 2023, with major increases in support for underserved businesses, including Black-owned businesses.  Since 2020, the share of the SBA’s loan portfolio going to minority-owned businesses has increased from 23% to over 32%.  The number and dollar value of SBA-backed loans to Black-owned businesses has more than doubled since 2020.
  • Achieving record federal contract spending on small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs).  In 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration awarded a record-breaking $163 billion in federal procurement opportunities to small businesses.  These awards include a record $69.9 billion, or 11.4% of federal contracting spending, to SDBs – exceeding the Administration’s FY22 goal. Shortly after taking office, President Biden set a goal of increasing the share of contracts with SDBs to 15% of all federal contracts by FY 2025, a 50% increase from spending levels when he first took office.
  • Supporting small and disadvantaged businesses through CHIPS Act Funding. In addition to the Recompete program, the first CHIPS notice of funding opportunity for semiconductor manufacturing requires applicants to develop a workforce plan to create equitable pathways for economically disadvantaged individuals in their region, as well as a plan to support procurement from small, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and women-owned businesses. The Department also announced a $500 million funding opportunity catered toward smaller businesses to support the semiconductor supply chain.
  • Expanding and making the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) permanent. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expanded the geographic reach of the MBDA—by authorizing new regional offices and business centers—and codified the agency in statute. The law also increases MBDA’s grantmaking capacity and ability to partner with non-profits and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In doing so, the law provided certainty and new resources to the more than nine million minority-owned businesses across the nation.
  • Increasing access to capital for small and disadvantaged businesses applying for infrastructure contracts. The Department of Transportation and SBA have collaborated to connect small businesses seeking long-term loans or patient capital with Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). This matchmaking provides small and minority businesses with financing that enables them to apply for larger contracts and projects than they would ordinarily be able to reach. In FY23 alone, the SBIC program set a record by delivering more than $4B in commitments to funds that support small businesses and startups. Last year, the SBA’s portfolio of 318 SBIC funds collectively provided financing to more than 1,200 small businesses and startups, which created or sustained over 130,000 jobs. SBICs financed over $161 million for small businesses in Wisconsin in FY23, a 40% increase compared to FY22.
  • Supporting small and minority-owned businesses in clean energy industries. As part of its historic investment in climate and clean energy through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has supported new efforts to grow disadvantaged clean energy businesses in underserved communities. That includes a $6.3M investment in a group that is working to coordinate and train disadvantaged and minority-owned businesses on how to apply for clean energy funding. In addition, Environmental Protection Agency’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will invest in clean energy technology projects in low-income and disadvantaged communities and build the capacity of community lenders to finance clean energy projects that support local economies.

President Biden Delivers Remarks at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce @1:45 p.m. D.C., time:


Southwest Airline Holiday Meltdown 2022 Tweet

From Tuesday…

From Transportation.gov

12/18/2023:

DOT Penalizes Southwest Airlines $140 Million for 2022 Holiday Meltdown:

DOT ensured Southwest paid over $600 million back to passengers and issued record penalty – 30 times larger than any in DOT history – to deter other airlines from failing to protect customers during disruptions

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced a $140 million civil penalty against Southwest Airlines for numerous violations of consumer protection laws during and after the operational failures that cancelled 16,900 flights and stranded over two million passengers over the 2022 Christmas holiday and into the New Year. This penalty is 30 times larger than any previous DOT penalty for consumer protection violations. The majority of the penalty will go towards compensating future Southwest passengers affected by cancellations or significant delays caused by the airline.

The penalty is in addition to the more than $600 million in refunds and reimbursements that DOT already ensured Southwest provide passengers who faced travel disruptions during the operational meltdown. In September 2022, at the urging of Secretary Buttigieg, Southwest Airlines made significant changes to its customer service plan that entitled passengers to reimbursements for expenses such as meals, hotels, and ground transportation if a flight is significantly delayed or cancelled due to an airline issue. As a result of DOT’s actions, Southwest was legally required to adhere to those commitments during the 2022 holiday travel meltdown.

In total, Southwest will pay over $750 million for the holiday meltdown — with the vast majority going to passengers for refunds, reimbursements, rapid rewards, or future compensation — due to DOT’s actions.

“Today’s action sets a new precedent and sends a clear message: if airlines fail their passengers, we will use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Taking care of passengers is not just the right thing to do — it’s required, and this penalty should put all airlines on notice to take every step possible to ensure that a meltdown like this never happens again.”

DOT’s rigorous and comprehensive investigation into Southwest’s operations during the 2022 holiday season included examining tens of thousands of pages documents, conducting several multi-day, in-person audits and site visits at Southwest’s headquarters, reviewing thousands of consumer complaints, and consulting with various third parties, such as airports. In addition, DOT regularly met with Southwest officials to gather information, ask questions, and ensure that any issues identified in the investigation were immediately addressed. DOT also reviewed Southwest’s internal policies and processes for responding to consumer concerns and providing impacted consumers with compensation. DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch provided valuable assistance to the Department in this important investigation.

Specifically, in its investigation, DOT found the company violated consumer protection laws by:

Transportation.gov. 12/18/2023.
  • Failing to provide adequate customer service assistance: Hundreds of thousands of Southwest customers had their flights cancelled and were stranded at the airport, in hotels, and in other locations away from home. The scale of the cancellations left travelers scrambling for alternate flight reservations and other accommodations, but when Southwest customers contacted the company’s customer service, they were often met with busy signals, hours-long queues to connect with agents, or dropped calls. DOT’s investigation found that Southwest’s call center was overwhelmed, which at times led to a full call center queue and meant customers got a busy signal upon calling the customer service telephone number.
  • Failing to provide prompt flight status notifications: Southwest’s policy states that it will update consumers about flight status changes via text or email, but during the holiday disruptions, many Southwest customers did not receive a flight status notification in any form, while others received inaccurate ones. Many passengers did not learn their flight had been cancelled until after arriving at the airport. DOT’s investigation found that Southwest’s process for notifying passengers broke down, and as a result, the airline failed to provide prompt notification of flight cancellations and delays.
  • Failing to provide refunds in a prompt and proper manner: DOT’s investigation included an audit of Southwest’s refunds and reimbursements system to ensure that harmed passengers received what they were owed. DOT found that thousands of customers were not promptly refunded. For example, Southwest failed to notify customers that their submissions to the airline’s refund request microsite contained errors that prevented them from receiving their refunds. After DOT’s audit identified the issue, the airline subsequently refunded these consumers. Additionally, thousands of passengers were not provided prompt refunds for optional service fees, like pet fees or upgraded boarding, that they purchased but were never able to use due to significant delays or flight cancellations.

As part of this settlement, DOT is closing its unrealistic scheduling investigation without making a finding as its goal is to obtain quick relief for the public. The order provides such relief by penalizing Southwest Airlines $140 million and compensating future Southwest passengers impacted by controllable cancellations and significant delays. Under federal law, unrealistic scheduling is considered an unfair and deceptive practice, and today’s penalty will deter airlines from engaging in any unfair and deceptive practices against consumers. DOT is continuing to monitor airlines to identify instances of potential unrealistic scheduling. The Department will act if it finds that an airline has violated consumer protection requirements including setting an unrealistic schedule.

Transportation.gov. 12/18/2023.

Enforcement Action

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s investigation and enforcement action has taken the following actions to benefit consumers:

  • Requires Southwest to establish a $90 million compensation system for future passengers affected by significant delays and cancellations: Today, DOT ordered Southwest to reserve $90 million in vouchers for future Southwest customers impacted by controllable cancellations and significant delays. Specifically, in the event Southwest causes a passenger to arrive at their destination three hours or more after their original scheduled arrival time due to an issue within Southwest’s control, Southwest is required to provide the passenger with a transferrable $75 voucher for future use on the airline. This industry-leading benefit will ensure that Southwest passengers impacted by any future significant disruptions will receive not only flight rebooking, hotels, and food during the delay, but also timely compensation from Southwest due to the inconvenience.
  • Penalizes Southwest $140 million for violating consumer protection laws – deterring Southwest and other carriers from committing similar violations in the future: Of the $140 million civil penalty assessed against the carrier, Southwest is required to pay $35 million to the U.S. Treasury. Southwest will receive a $72 million offset toward the penalty for the $90 million compensation system DOT has ordered. Also, DOT will credit Southwest $33 million against the penalty for issuing 25,000 Rapid Reward points to passengers impacted by Southwest’s operational failures. This acknowledges Southwest’s effort and will encourage other airlines to follow suit to be proactive during operational disruptions.
  • Ensured passengers were refunded and reimbursed over $600 million for significant delays and cancellations during the 2022 holiday season: Due to DOT requirements and Secretary Buttigieg’s pressure on airlines to improve their customer service policies in summer 2022, Southwest was obligated to reimburse passengers for meals, accommodations, and other disruption-related expenses incurred by stranded passengers. Southwest was also obligated to refund consumers for flights the carrier cancelled, regardless of the reason for the cancellation, if the consumers did not wish to accept the alternative offered. As a result of its oversight and investigation, DOT ensured that over $600 million in refunds and reimbursements were provided to Southwest passengers who faced travel disruptions over the 2022 holiday season. Southwest also provided 25,000 miles to each passenger impacted by the meltdown.

Today’s announcement is part of DOT’s ongoing work to hold all airlines accountable to their passengers. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation has returned a record amount of over $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements to travelers, issued the largest ever penalties against airlines for failing passengers, and is advancing the biggest expansion of airline consumer rights in more than a decade.

The consent order is available here.

Transportation.gov. 12/18/2023.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

  • Throughout the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection has helped return a record amount of more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements to millions of travelers. 
  • Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued the highest amount in fines ever against airlines for failing to refund customers promptly and for unlawfully keeping passengers on the tarmac for hours. 
  • Last year, Secretary Buttigieg pressured airline CEOs to improve their customer service. Airlines responded. 
    • Before the Secretary’s involvement, none of the 10 largest U.S. airlines guaranteed meals, hotels, or ground transportation to and from the hotel, and only one guaranteed free rebooking when the airline was at fault for a delay or cancellation. 
    • Now, all 10 airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a delay or cancellation. 
  • Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Transportation has significantly expanded airline consumer rights. Currently, the Department is pursuing rules that would:
    • Make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations, such as staffing issues or mechanical problems.
    • Guarantee refunds for passengers for services they paid for that are not actually provided, such as broken Wi-Fi.
    • Ensure fee transparency so consumers know the cost for flying with a checked or carry-on bag and for changing or canceling a flight before they buy a ticket and can make informed decisions, save money, and avoid surprises at checkout.
    • Ensure fee-free family seating to make it easier for parents to avoid junk fees to sit with their children when they fly. Earlier this year, President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines to commit to fee-free family seating. Before their urging, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on rulemaking to guarantee it across airlines.

Travelers can learn more about their protections when they fly at FlightRights.gov. Consumers may file an airline complaint with the Department here.

Transportation.gov. 12/18/2023.

*I somehow missed the above tweet before posting the article yesterday*


Remembering Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Tweets

From Tuesday…

The YouTube is 8 minutes and 2 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

Gracious and wise, civil and principled, Sandra Day O’Connor, a daughter of the American West, was a pioneer in her own right, breaking down the barriers in the legal and political worlds and the nation’s consciousness.

White House.gov. 12/19/2023.

Welcome to the White House Artemis II Tweet

From Tuesday…

The video clip is 1 minute and 23 seconds long.

Artemis II Crew Member says (04/02/2023): And we look forward to shaking your hand in D.C., at the nearest opportunity.

(0:06 video switches to 12/14/2023):

Off camera voice says: We’re ready, bring them in.

Different off camera voice says: Mr. President I want to introduce you to the Artemis II crew.

President Biden: Proud of you guys.

Artemis II Crew Member says: Thank you.

President Biden: I really mean it. Thank you.

Artemis II Crew Member says: It’s an honor Mr. President. Thank you.

President Biden: Oh, I was excited to see ya. Well I tell you what–the closest I came to the Moon was my Moon rock here. I can remember exactly where I was. I was on the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. And I pulled over. And I remember sitting there listening to the landing on the Moon. Fifty years later–it’s a big deal. You guys are incredible. You’re absolutely incredible. Really. Now let me show you around the Office a little bit.

Artemis II Crew Member says: We love seeing the Moon rock in the Oval Office. And we know that you asked to have that put in there.

President Biden: I did.

Artemis II Crew Member says: And I think that’s a good tribute to what you and the Vice President are doing leading out country. And we really appreciate–

President Biden: Well–you guys are–I mean, I think what’s going to change; we’re at a real inflection point in world history. There’s going to be more change in the next ten years than the last fifty years. Not a joke. I am so damn proud and envious of what you’re about to do–really and truly.

From NASA…

04/03/2023:

NASA Names Astronauts to Next Moon Mission, First Crew Under Artemis:

NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The agencies revealed the crew members Monday during an event at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“The Artemis II crew represents thousands of people working tirelessly to bring us to the stars. This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity’s crew,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, each has their own story, but, together, they represent our creed: E pluribus unum – out of many, one. Together, we are ushering in a new era of exploration for a new generation of star sailors and dreamers – the Artemis Generation.” 

The crew assignments are as follows: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen. They will work as a team to execute an ambitious set of demonstrations during the flight test.

The approximately 10-day Artemis II flight test will launch on the agency’s powerful Space Launch System rocket, prove the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems, and validate the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space.  

“We are going back to the Moon and Canada is at the center of this exciting journey,” said the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, the minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency. “Thanks to our longstanding collaboration with NASA, a Canadian astronaut will fly on this historic mission. On behalf of all Canadians, I want to congratulate Jeremy for being at the forefront of one of the most ambitious human endeavors ever undertaken. Canada’s participation in the Artemis program is not only a defining chapter of our history in space, but also a testament to the friendship and close partnership between our two nations.”  

The flight, set to build upon the successful uncrewed Artemis I mission completed in December, will set the stage for the first woman and first person of color on the Moon through the Artemis program, paving the way for future for long-term human exploration missions to the Moon, and eventually Mars. This is the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration approach.

“For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals – the Artemis II crew – will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the Moon. Among the crew are the first woman, first person of color, and first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all,” said Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson. “This mission paves the way for the expansion of human deep space exploration and presents new opportunities for scientific discoveries, commercial, industry and academic partnerships and the Artemis Generation.” 

NASA.gov. 04/03/2023.

Meet Artemis II Astronauts 

This will be Wiseman’s second trip into space, serving previously as a flight engineer aboard the International Station for Expedition 41 from May through November 2014. Wiseman has logged more than 165 days in space, including almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker during two trips outside the orbital complex. Prior to his assignment, Wiseman served as chief of the Astronaut Office from December 2020 until November 2022.

The mission will be Glover’s second spaceflight, serving previously as pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, which landed May 2, 2021, after 168 days in space. As a flight engineer aboard the space station for Expedition 64, he contributed to scientific investigations, technology demonstrations, and participated in four spacewalks.

Koch also will be making her second flight into space on the Artemis II mission. She served as flight engineer aboard the space station for Expedition 59, 60, and 61. Koch set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.

Representing Canada, Hansen is making his first flight to space. A colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and former fighter pilot, Hansen holds a Bachelor of Science in space science from Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, and a Master of Science in physics from the same institution in 2000, with a research focus on Wide Field of View Satellite Tracking. He was one of two recruits selected by CSA in May 2009 through the third Canadian Astronaut Recruitment Campaign and has served as Capcom in NASA’s Mission Control Center at Johnson and, in 2017, became the first Canadian to be entrusted with leading a NASA astronaut class, leading the training of astronaut candidates from the United States and Canada.

“I could not be prouder that these brave four will kickstart our journeys to the Moon and beyond,” said Director of Flight Operations Norm Knight, NASA Johnson. “They represent exactly what an astronaut corps should be: a mix of highly capable and accomplished individuals with the skills and determination to take on any trial as a team. The Artemis II mission will be challenging, and we’ll test our limits as we prepare to put future astronauts on the Moon. With Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy at the controls, I have no doubt we’re ready to face every challenge that comes our way.”

Through Artemis missions, NASA will use innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars. 

For more information about the crew, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis-ii  

NASA.gov. 04/03/2023.

This is an Open Thread.


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About Tiff 2558 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.