Photo Courtesy: NASA

Sacramento, Ca. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) and the Aerospace and Defense Alliance of California (ADAC) celebrates the unveiling of the first crew under Artemis II. 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.
The crew assignments are: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.
“This is an exciting journey as we are going back to the Moon,” said Lance Hastings, CEO and President of CMTA. “Thousands of people and our California manufacturers are working toward the future of innovation in space. Our astronauts are representing the next generation and a new era of exploration.”
The flight was built upon the success of the uncrewed Artemis I mission completed in December 2022. The Artemis program is critical to the aerospace industry and to California’s economy.

NASA’s prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft is Lockheed Martin. Orion is the first spacecraft capable of carrying humans on long-duration missions in deep space.

NASA’s prime Space Launch System (SLS) contractors include Aerojet Rocketdyne, The Boeing Company, and Northrop Grumman. SLS is a rocket capable of launching humans, habitats, and support systems directly into deep space. It is designed to be strong and flexible for crew, cargo, or science missions.

According to a report and a recent study by PwC, California’s aerospace, aviation, and defense industry supports more than 511,000 high-paying jobs, generates more than $100 billion in annual economic activity, and generates $7 billion in state and local taxes. Additionally, the industry supply chain consists of thousands of other small businesses, many minority-owned, located throughout all 58 counties. America’s aerospace industry originated in California and today remains the largest industry in the state.

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About CMTA:
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. Total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit the CMTA website.

About ADAC:
The Aerospace and Defense Alliance of California (ADAC) is a targeted policy committee formed in 2021 to address, manage and leverage policy issues affecting the aerospace and defense industries. ADAC supports policies that enable the industry to make long-planned capital investments, hire more people, improve facilities, retain vital small business suppliers, and create educational and career pathways for the future workforce.