HOUSTON -- Before they take a spin around the moon next year, four astronauts entered NRG Stadium on Monday night excited to see a basketball game.
NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen were announced Monday as the first crewed mission to lunar orbit in more than 50 years. The Artemis II will launch in late 2024.
The astronauts were honored at the national championship game between the UConn Huskies and San Diego State Aztecs. At least one was stoked to see Brian Dutcher's squad attempt to beat the odds against the favored Huskies.
Koch is the first woman astronaut to be assigned to a lunar mission, and Glover is the first Black astronaut to be assigned to a lunar mission.
Glover, who briefly attended San Diego State University, said he would like to witness the Aztecs cut down the nets.
"I would love to see the Aztecs bring one back to California," Glover said. "But whoever wins, seeing those young people get out there and show us their craft, it's an honor to be here to watch."
Koch grew up in North Carolina as a die-hard NC State Wolfpack fan. She said she always has had a passion for college basketball.
"As someone from North Carolina, where the Final Four, and especially this championship game, was the biggest thing all year, it's amazing to be here," Koch said. "I love a good underdog story. I love everything that goes into this, the challenges people put themselves through to be here. It's an honor."
Both Koch and Glover said they are aware of the impact they could have on future generations as they get set to make history as members of underrepresented groups on a moon mission.
"I think, for me, it's not necessarily about any one individual's accomplishment, but it's about what we've chosen to value right now," Koch said. "We've chosen that, as an organization and as a country, that we're going to go for all and by all -- that if we're going to answer humanity's call to explore, we need to look like all of humanity."
As Glover added, "Our astronaut office looks like this. It represents America."
Wiseman said he was stunned when he walked into NRG Stadium in Houston and that he appreciates the journey both teams have gone through to reach the final stage of the season, a journey the astronauts understand.
"I think we were all in awe," he said. "We were a little bit speechless. It is really cool to be in this place where these athletes at the absolute top of their lives are going to put it all on the line tonight. There are a lot of parallels."