An astronaut is landing on the moon. For the first time, it won't be an American

Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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WASHINGTON – Two days after the distinctly American eclipse, President Joe Biden announced that on the next visit to our closest celestial neighbor − the moon − the U.S. will be accompanied by one of its closest friends: Japan.

A Japanese astronaut will become the first non-American ever to land on the moon, Biden announced Wednesday during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Biden and Kishida met at the White House as part of the Japanese prime minister’s official visit to Washington.

During that meeting, the two leaders affirmed the science and education ties between their countries, Biden said."Those ties stretch up to the moon, where two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, and one will become the first non-American ever to land on the moon,” he said.

The news comes two days after millions of Americans stepped out of their homes Monday to look skyward and watch the moon eclipse the face of the sun. A distant reality hung over the moment.

Most of them were not yet born in 1972, the last time a human set foot on the moon.

A photo of the lunar surface credited to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Takara Tomy, Sony Group Corporation and Doshisha University and transmitted by the transformable lunar surface robot "SORA-Q" after landing on the Moon on January 20.
A photo of the lunar surface credited to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Takara Tomy, Sony Group Corporation and Doshisha University and transmitted by the transformable lunar surface robot "SORA-Q" after landing on the Moon on January 20.
A shot of Monday's solar eclipse from Fountain Hills, Arizona.
A shot of Monday's solar eclipse from Fountain Hills, Arizona.

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For the first time since the early 70s, NASA is aiming to send astronaut missions to the moon in the coming years under its Artemis program.

The space agency is also looking to establish a scientific lunar base that could help set the stage for future missions to Mars.

Dozens of companies, spacecraft and countries are involved in the effort.

Japan will provide and maintain a pressurized rover to support astronauts living and working on the moon, the White House said. The pressurized rover is intended to enable astronauts to travel farther and work for longer periods on the lunar surface.

Who has walked on the moon?

There have been 12 astronauts to walk on the moon, according to NASA.

Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin were the first to do so in 1969 as part of the Apollo human spaceflight program, which ran from 1968 to 1972.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @mcollinsNEWS.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joint US-Japan mission will put first non-American astronaut on moon