Joe Acaba appointed to the strategic post of chief of NASA astronauts

Joseph Acaba was named NASA's chief astronaut on February 2, 2023. © Bill Ingalls / Nasa

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NASA has a new chief astronaut, Joe Acaba.

This prestigious position is heavy with responsibility since it assigns the missions to come.

This appointment is scrutinized, because the American space agency will indeed return to the moon in the years to come and it is still necessary to compose the crews 

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Head of NASA astronauts, the title can make you dream, but it is paradoxically the position that nobody wants: an office job that prevents you from going into space.

After three stays and 306 days spent in space.

Joe Acaba will now have to supervise the lunar missions to come, the first since the end of Apollo in 1972.

The program appeals.

In 2024, a four-member crew will circle the moon for the

. A year later, it will be the first moon landing.

This time there will be two astronauts.

Suffice to say that everyone wants to participate and it is Joe Acaba who will have to choose among the 40 active astronauts of the NASA corps.

One name, however, should be easier to remember than the others: that of Reid Wiseman, his predecessor in this position.

Reid Wiseman will most likely take command of one of these two missions, Artemis.

It is indeed the tradition, before leaving the office, the chief of the astronauts always allots the best mission to come.

►To listen also: Grand Reportage - Artémis: on the Moon to stay there

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