Two Coloradans were chosen by NASA Wednesday to help pave the way for future missions on and around the moon as part of the Artemis Team. 

Matthew Dominick of Wheat Ridge and Jessica Watkins of Lafayette were two of 18 astronauts introduced by Vice President Mike Pence Wednesday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center right outside of Orlando.

“It is amazing to think that the next man and first woman on the Moon are among the names that we just read. The Artemis Team astronauts are the future of American space exploration — and the future is bright,” Pence said in a news release. 

The Artemis Team will help prepare NASA for its upcoming Artemis missions that’ll begin next year. The plan is to reach the moon in 2024 to establish a sustainable human lunar presence by the end of 2029. 

Each of the 18 members of the Artemis Team come with a diverse background with varying expertises and experience that’ll help propel NASA into the future. 

“There is so much exciting work ahead of us as we return to the moon, and it will take the entire astronaut corps to make that happen,” said Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester.

“Walking on the lunar surface would be a dream come true for any one of us, and any part we can play in making that happen is an honor. I am proud of this particular group of men and women and know that any of them would do an outstanding job representing NASA and the United States on a future Artemis mission.”

Dominick was chosen to become an astronaut in 2017 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Throughout his career he has amassed more than 1,600 hours of flight time in nearly 30 different aircrafts.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of San Diego prior to earning a Master of Science degree in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. 

Watkins also became an astronaut in 2017 and although she is a native of Gaithersburg, M.D., she calls Lafayette home.

Prior to NASA, she graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in geological and environmental sciences prior to attending the University of California Los Angeles, where she finished her doctorate program.

During her graduate research Watkins studied the surface processes on Mars.