In nearly 50 years, NASA’s Artemis 2 lunar mission in 2024 will send the first astronauts around the moon. Four astronauts will be launched on a lunar flyby aboard an Orion spacecraft using a Space Launch System rocket and they will have songs of the famous K-pop band BTS added to their playlist. Three Space themed tracks of BTS have been selected by NASA to be played by the astronauts during their voyage this year.
Last June, in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, NASA opened submissions for their #NASAMoonTunes project. The chosen songs would be added to the playlist for the eight-day voyage to the moon.
Mikrokosmos: This song refers to the concept of the human world being a smaller version (or “microcosm”) of the universe at large (or “macrocosm”).
14340: Pluto’s asteroid number, 14340, signifies its past as a planet, sharing the tale of being cast away and losing its planetary title.
Moonchild: RM’s solo song addresses “moon children,” who find comfort in their imperfections, flourishing under the moon’s glow, unable to bask in the warmth of sunlight.
About the Mission
This Artemis 2 is an eight-day mission and three NASA astronauts and one Canadian Space Agency astronaut will travel around the moon on a free-return trajectory. According to the information based in the public domain this will be the last test flight before the Artemis 3 crewed moon landing mission in 2025.
NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) unveiled the Artemis II crew, featuring astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. This marks a pivotal stride in NASA’s pursuit of a sustained lunar presence, embodying the shared efforts of humanity in exploring the cosmos. The agencies revealed the crew members 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.”
Crew assignments:They will all work as a team towards executing an ambitious set of demonstrations during the flight test.Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.
The upcoming mission, following the success of Artemis I in December 2022, marks a significant step in the Artemis program. It aims to send the first woman and person of color to the Moon, setting the stage for future human exploration missions to both the Moon and eventually Mars. This approach aligns with NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration strategy.The diverse crew includes the inaugural female and person of colour lunar explorers, alongside the first Canadian on a lunar mission. These four astronauts symbolize the best of humanity, exploring for the benefit of all.NASA’s Director Vanessa Wyche states that this mission not only advances human deep space exploration but also opens avenues for scientific discoveries, commercial collaborations, industry partnerships, and engagement with the Artemis Generation.Artemis missions will utilize cutting-edge technologies to extensively explore the lunar surface. Collaborating with international and commercial partners, NASA aims to establish a sustained presence on the Moon before leveraging this knowledge for the monumental leap of sending astronauts to Mars.
BTS – Bangtan Boys are serving in the military of their country.
All the seven members are enlisted in their military and will re-group in 2025.
In South Korea, soldiers usually serve for about 18 months. BTS, also known as Bangtan Sonyeondan or The Bangtan Boys, is a popular boy band with seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. The group debuted in 2013 and quickly gained a massive fanbase known as ARMY (Adorable Representative MC of Youth).The management of BTS mentioned last year that the band might reunite around 2025. Before that happens, the individual members could potentially entertain their fellow troops informally during their military service, a practice seen among other K-pop stars.The decision for all BTS members to fulfill their mandatory military service has settled a year-long debate in South Korea about whether they should be exempted. This move underscores the importance of military service in the country.BTS has achieved significant success, reaching the top of the Billboard Charts, earning two Grammy nominations, and winning various American Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. TIME named them Entertainer of the Year in 2020.Regarding their net worth, as of 2023, J-Hope is the wealthiest BTS member with an estimated net worth of $24-26 million. Suga follows as the second richest with $25 million, while RM holds the third position with around $20-22 million. Jungkook and V share a net worth similar to RM’s. Jin and Jimin each have an estimated net worth of around $20 million.