NASA announced the four-member crew for Ares I, the first crewed mission to Mars, scheduled to launch aboard the Space Launch System from Kennedy Space Center in November 2028. The crew is expected to reach Martian orbit after a seven-month transit and land at Jezero Crater in June 2029.
Commander Sarah Lin, 41, a veteran of three International Space Station missions, leads the historic crew alongside pilot James Okafor, 38, mission specialists Dr. Priya Nair, 35, and systems engineer Marcus Webb, 44. The crew was selected from 18 finalists after a two-year training program.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called the mission humanity's most ambitious exploration endeavor. The 30-month round trip, including 90 days on the Martian surface, will require the crew to live autonomously given the 20-minute one-way communication delay with Earth.