Washington (AFP)
What's better than going out into space vacuum? Moon, of course, said space astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir from space yesterday, three days after completing the first spacewalk in the 100% female space.
"From my first drawing in elementary school, when I knew I wanted to be an astronaut, I saw myself on the moon, I think it will be my next dream," said 42-year-old Jessica Meir, floating next to his teammate in the International Space Station (ISS), during a rare press conference broadcast live by NASA.
NASA has a plan to send humans back to the moon in 2024, with the mission Artemis 3. Two astronauts will walk on lunar ground, for the first time since 1972, and a woman will be part of it, promised the head of the space agency, Jim Bridenstine.
What's more, this woman will be one of the current 12 members of NASA's astronaut corps, said Jim Bridenstine. Jessica Meir and Christina Koch, in her 40s recruited at the same time in 2013, appear as natural candidates.
"The idea of having the honor of being the first woman to walk on the moon is almost too great and beyond comprehension," said Christina Koch, 40, interviewed by AFP on the subject during the press conference.
"Of course I dream, and I dreamed about it all my life, but for the moment, I'm happy to know that at least I'll probably know the first woman to walk on the moon", she continued, in a wink and nudging her teammate.
The Nasa internal selection process for this historic mission is for the moment a mystery. "But I know that every person in our service is extremely skilled, and whoever performs this mission will be the right person, and it will carry the hopes and dreams of all those who want to explore," said Christina Koch.
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