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First Woman Astronaut Set to Join NASA’s Historic Moon Mission

Womens Journal Staff 2 on March 31, 2026

NASA’s Artemis II mission, set for launch in 2026, marks a milestone in space exploration. Christina Koch, a veteran astronaut with a 328-day spaceflight record aboard the International Space Station (ISS), will become the first woman astronaut to join a crewed lunar mission. The mission will test critical deep-space systems, setting the stage for future lunar landings under NASA’s Artemis program.

The Artemis II Crew

The Artemis II crew comprises four astronauts, each of whom will play a key role in this pioneering mission to the moon. The crew is as follows:

  • Commander: Reid Wiseman, NASA
  • Pilot: Victor Glover, NASA, the first Black astronaut to fly to the moon
  • Mission Specialist: Christina Koch, NASA, the first woman astronaut to fly around the moon
  • Mission Specialist: Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency, the first Canadian astronaut on a lunar mission

Together, they will embark on a 10-day mission to fly around the moon, marking the first human crewed lunar mission in more than five decades since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Artemis II: Mission Details

  • Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
  • Rocket: Space Launch System (SLS) with the Orion crew capsule
  • Duration: Approximately 10 days
  • Objective: The mission will fly around the moon to test NASA’s deep-space capabilities, including life support and navigation systems, paving the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the moon.

The mission will take the crew on a flyby of the moon, but it will not include a landing on the lunar surface. This first step is vital to testing the spacecraft’s deep-space performance and ensuring the safety and reliability of systems necessary for future lunar missions.

Christina Koch’s Historic Role in Artemis II

Christina Koch will make history as the first woman astronaut to join a crewed lunar mission. Koch is well known for her record-breaking mission aboard the ISS, where she spent 328 days in space, the longest single spaceflight by a woman. This monumental achievement in spaceflight has positioned her to be part of one of the most significant missions of the modern era.

While she will not land on the moon in Artemis II, Koch’s participation in the lunar flyby mission is groundbreaking. The Artemis program aims to establish a long-term human presence on the moon and eventually enable crewed missions to Mars. Koch’s historic role in this mission reflects NASA’s commitment to diversity and the growing inclusion of women in space exploration.

Victor Glover: First Black Astronaut on a Crewed Moon Mission

Victor Glover’s participation in Artemis II is also a historic achievement. He will become the first Black astronaut to participate in a crewed mission to the moon. Glover’s previous spaceflight experience includes his time aboard the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Crew-1 mission, and now he is set to join Koch in this historic lunar flyby.

Glover’s journey represents a significant moment in space history, as the Artemis program continues to reflect NASA’s focus on creating a more inclusive astronaut corps, breaking barriers that have existed in the space exploration field.

Jeremy Hansen: First Canadian Astronaut on a Lunar Mission

Jeremy Hansen, from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will be the first Canadian astronaut to travel to the moon. His participation in Artemis II highlights Canada’s strong partnership with NASA in space exploration. Hansen’s inclusion in the mission emphasizes the growing international collaboration in space, as Canada continues to be a key partner in NASA’s Artemis program.

Canada’s contribution to space exploration is significant, and Hansen’s role is a symbol of the cooperative efforts between nations that are paving the way for global advancements in space technology and research.

Broader Implications of Artemis II

The Artemis II mission signifies a new era of space exploration. NASA’s Artemis program is designed not only to return humans to the moon but also to establish a sustainable human presence in lunar orbit, paving the way for future missions to Mars. The crewed flyby of the moon will test the spacecraft systems needed for future lunar landings and will mark the first time humans have ventured beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo missions.

The inclusion of Koch, Glover, and Hansen on the Artemis II crew is a reflection of the diversity and inclusivity that NASA is striving to achieve in the space sector. The mission is a critical step in broadening the scope of space exploration and fostering new generations of astronauts from varied backgrounds.

Historic Milestones and NASA’s Future Goals

  • Christina Koch will be the first woman to travel around the moon.
  • Victor Glover will be the first black astronaut on a crewed moon mission.
  • Jeremy Hansen will be the first Canadian astronaut to fly to the moon.

The mission will also serve as a critical test for the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s most powerful rocket to date, designed to carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit. By testing the SLS and the Orion crew capsule during Artemis II, NASA is setting up the systems necessary for the eventual goal of sustainable human exploration of the moon.

NASA’s Artemis Program: Looking to the Future

Artemis II is just the beginning. Artemis III, slated for a later date, will carry astronauts to the lunar surface, with the goal of landing on the moon’s south pole, where water ice is believed to be abundant. This is a crucial step in making space exploration sustainable, as water is a vital resource for long-term space missions. The moon’s resources may one day help support future missions to Mars, as NASA continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in space exploration.

With Artemis II, NASA is not just celebrating its historic past but setting the stage for future achievements that will continue to inspire generations of space explorers and enthusiasts alike.

When Balance Is Shared: Bonnie Diaz on Partnership, Presence, and Why the Body Knows First

Women's Journal Staff on March 31, 2026

By: Alena Wiese

Most of us learn about relationships through words.

We talk things out. We read books. We analyze patterns. We ask questions like Who’s leading? Who’s giving more? Who’s pulling away?

But what if the most honest information about connection doesn’t come from language at all?

That’s the question at the heart of the work of Bonnie Diaz, a world-class ballroom champion, master educator, and longtime student of partnership, not as an idea, but as a physical, lived experience.

For decades, Diaz has worked in a space where imbalance can’t hide. On a dance floor, there’s no room for pretending everything is fine. If one person pushes too hard, the movement breaks. If one person collapses, the connection disappears. The body tells the truth immediately.

And over time, Diaz realized something quietly radical: The same rules apply everywhere else.

Partnership Isn’t About Control

In competitive ballroom dance, the idea of “leading and following” is often misunderstood. From the outside, it can look hierarchical, one person directs, the other responds. But Diaz says that interpretation misses the point entirely.

“Real partnership isn’t about one person deciding and the other complying,” she explains. “It’s about two people listening at the same time.”

In dance, that listening happens through weight, breath, timing, and balance. There’s a shared center, what dancers call a shared axis. It’s not owned by either partner. It exists between them.

If one partner tries to control that center, the movement becomes rigid.
If one partner avoids responsibility, the system collapses.

The only way it works is when both people stay present and accountable.

Diaz began to see how familiar this felt beyond the dance floor. In relationships, friendships, work partnerships, even families, the same imbalance plays out again and again. One person over-functions. The other disengages. Someone compensates. Someone resents.

And all of it shows up in the body long before it becomes a conversation.

The Body Speaks First

One of the things that makes Diaz’s work resonate is that she doesn’t start with advice. She starts with observation.

She noticed how often people’s bodies reveal what their words don’t. Tight shoulders when someone feels unsafe. Held breath during conflict. Leaning away while saying “I’m fine.” These are not mistakes, she says. Their information.

“We’re taught to override the body,” Diaz notes. “Especially women. We’re told to be polite, adaptable, and accommodating. But the body doesn’t lie, it just waits to be listened to.”

This insight became the foundation of her teaching and, eventually, her book:
The 4th-Dimension Partnership™: A New Solution for a World Out of Balance,  How Higher Awareness & Perspective Enhances Kindness for Your Dance of Life, released January 19, 2026.

While the book has earned recognition in the ballroom world, ranking in the Top 50 Ballroom Dance books, it’s clear that Diaz didn’t write it only for dancers.

She wrote it for people.

Four Dimensions, One Relationship

Rather than framing partnership as a set of roles or rules, Diaz introduces it as a system made up of four interconnected dimensions:

  • Physical – how the body holds itself: posture, tension, breath, balance
  • Social – the roles, expectations, and conditioning we bring into connection
  • Emotional – trust, safety, regulation, responsiveness
  • Spiritual – perspective, meaning, and the ability to act with kindness rather than ego

“When one of these dimensions dominates,” Diaz explains, “the others go quiet. That’s when imbalance shows up.”

For example, someone may understand a relationship intellectually (social awareness) but feel chronically tense or exhausted (physical awareness). Or they may feel deeply emotionally invested while lacking perspective, leading to over-attachment or loss of self.

Diaz doesn’t suggest fixing any of this through force or self-correction. Instead, she invites curiosity.

“What happens if you notice instead of judging?” she asks.
“What happens if you stay present instead of performing?”

A Conversation That Went Beyond Dance

These themes came into focus during Diaz’s recent conversation on the 34o Podcast, hosted by Henrik Davidson. While the episode touches on dance, it quickly moves into broader territory, intimacy, responsibility, and the quiet ways people miss each other even when they care deeply.

What stands out isn’t a dramatic revelation, but a steady dismantling of assumptions. That intimacy comes from effort. That leadership means control. That harmony requires someone to give more.

Diaz gently challenges all of it.

“Kindness in connection isn’t about being nice,” she says during the episode. “It’s about staying present, especially when it’s uncomfortable.”

That idea feels particularly relevant now. Many people are tired of self-help that feels like more work. More fixing. More trying. Diaz offers something else: awareness without self-erasure.

Why This Matters Now

We live in a moment where disconnection is common, even among people who are successful, thoughtful, and emotionally aware. Burnout isn’t just about work anymore. It’s relational. Emotional. Somatic.

Diaz’s work doesn’t promise quick solutions. It offers something slower and more durable: a way to notice imbalance early, before it becomes resentment or withdrawal.

For women, especially, who are often conditioned to hold relationships together at their own expense, the idea of shared axis can feel like a relief. Partnership, in Diaz’s view, doesn’t require over-functioning. It requires mutual presence.

“You don’t have to disappear to stay connected,” she says.

A Different Kind of Invitation

What makes Diaz’s approach compelling isn’t that it’s new, but that it’s grounded. It doesn’t ask people to become someone else. It asks them to notice who they are already in a relationship with.

Her book reads less like a manual and more like a conversation, one that trusts the reader’s intelligence and lived experience. There’s no pressure to get it right. Only an invitation to listen more carefully.

Because, as Diaz reminds us, the body has been speaking all along.

We just have to be willing to hear it.

Catherine Valega on Mindful Leadership and Financial Empowerment for Women

Women's Journal Staff on March 31, 2026

By: Gesche Haas, founder & CEO of Dreamers & Doers, a highly curated community and PR Hype Machine™ for extraordinary women entrepreneurs.

Meet Catherine Valega, the owner of Green Bee Advisory, a boutique wealth and tax management firm tailored to empower breadwinning women.

Starting her career on Wall Street, Catherine quickly realized the stark gender disparity in finance, where men dominated the conversation, leaving women on the sidelines. Green Bee Advisory was born out of a desire to flip the script, offering a refreshing, empathetic approach to financial planning. Catherine’s clients, often successful, driven women, come to her with the same core questions: Am I saving enough? Am I making the best decisions for my family? She loves helping them put the puzzle pieces together and build a financial strategy that feels right for their unique situation.

During our conversation, Catherine shared the underlying mission of Green Bee Advisory, her greatest challenge in blending work with life, and the most important lesson she’s learned in her entrepreneurial journey so far.

Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on Green Bee Advisory?

I started my career on Wall Street. At the time, only 25% of employees were women. Several decades later, that number has stayed the same. My world of financial services is filled with blustery men. I pride myself on being an anti-jargon, anti-mansplaining, compassionate advisor.

What is the underlying mission of Green Bee Advisory? How does your work make a difference in people’s lives?

Most of the women I work with have the same “avatar,” if you will. They are driven, smart, and competitive. They all tend to have the same basic questions: Am I saving enough? Am I making the best decisions for my family? Am I maximizing my options? I love helping them figure out the best way to use the puzzle pieces of their financial plan to accomplish what matters to them.

What core values guide Green Bee Advisory? How do these principles reflect your personal values, and how do they influence your leadership?

I came out of the womb competitive and fiercely independent. I started working when I was 12. I used my income to purchase my dream bike and got hooked on earning and saving. By 18, I opened my first retirement account. In my 20s, I worked my way through college and grad school. Understanding my money and what it could do for me empowered my life. More importantly, I loved the confidence it gave me.

It wasn’t until I became a financial advisor that I realized how many women did not share my love of investing. Discussing money made them feel anxious, ashamed, and fearful about the future. So I began talking about finance in a way they could understand. I started teaching them how their money could impact their lives and create opportunities for the future. That is why I do what I do. My true purpose is to educate and empower women to take full ownership of their financial lives, to learn and grow as they build their confidence and create exciting opportunities for themselves.

What has been your greatest challenge in blending work with life? How have you managed to create a sense of harmony between the two?

As an entrepreneur, it can be hard to “turn off.” I try to spend at least one day a week completely disconnected from anything digital. I’m a nature lover, so that typically means spending the day outside, unconnected to gadgets and connected to nature.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your entrepreneurial journey so far?

Just do it. One of the best parts about being an entrepreneur is the flexibility to try things, fail, and try again. We’re not stuck with rigid corporate mandates. We make our own mandates. Some things will work; others won’t. But that is okay. Don’t overthink things. Try, live, learn, and keep on going!

What advice would you give to other women wanting to start or grow businesses in an intentional way?

I would recommend doing research to find other women who are ahead of you and politely reaching out to connect. Better yet, find a mentor who can guide you and give you pep talks along the way. Entrepreneurship is lonely and hard. Acknowledge that and work to find a support network that you can rely on.

Catherine is a member of Dreamers & Doers, an award-winning community that amplifies extraordinary women entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders by securing PR, forging authentic connections, and curating high-impact resources. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and get involved at dreamersdoers.com.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Consult a qualified financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

Mindful Leadership: How Laura Donovan Turned an Ancient Healing Ritual Into a Modern Wellness Brand

Women's Journal Staff on March 31, 2026

By: Gesche Haas – the founder & CEO of Dreamers & Doers, a highly curated community and PR Hype Machine™ for extraordinary women entrepreneurs.

In a wellness landscape filled with complex routines and ever-evolving trends, the most impactful tools are often the simplest. They are the ones that meet people exactly where they are.

For Laura Donovan, that realization came through an unexpected discovery.

Solstice was born from Laura’s personal wellness journey and her search for tools that could support her physically, mentally, and emotionally. When she discovered ear seeds, the shift was immediate. She noticed a meaningful change not only in her body, but in her mental well-being. It felt both subtle and profound.

After exploring a wide range of modalities and working with practitioners across both Eastern and Western traditions, she was surprised she had not encountered ear seeding sooner, especially given its nearly 2,000-year history. As she deepened her understanding of auricular therapy, it became clear this was a practice meant to be shared.

With the support of her family, Laura earned her certification in auricular therapy and invested her savings into building Solstice Ear Seeds.

Launched in August 2025, Solstice reimagines an ancient practice for modern life. It makes ear seeding more approachable, intuitive, and seamlessly integrated into everyday self-care. Through thoughtful design and education, the brand empowers individuals to take an active role in their own well-being.

Read on to discover how Laura turned a personal wellness discovery into a purpose-driven brand.

What is the underlying mission of your business? How does your work make a difference in people’s lives?

Solstice is about making self-care more accessible, intuitive, and meaningful. Our mission is to reconnect people with their own sense of balance physically, emotionally, and energetically through a ritual that’s rooted in tradition but designed for modern life.

So many of us are overwhelmed, stretched thin, or disconnected from our bodies. What I love about ear seeding is that it offers something small, beautiful, and incredibly grounding without requiring a big time investment, expensive treatments, or perfection. It meets people exactly where they are. If Solstice can help someone feel a little calmer, a little more supported, or a little more in tune with themselves, I consider that a big win.

What core values guide your business? How do these principles reflect your personal values, and how do they influence your leadership?

Everything at Solstice is rooted in the belief that wellness should feel encouraging, instead of overwhelming. I created this brand to give people tools and knowledge to care for themselves in small but meaningful ways. I value that sense of confidence, and it shapes how I lead, even in the early stages. I believe in building with trust, creating space for autonomy, and encouraging others to connect with their own intuition, whether it’s our future customers, collaborators, or community.

Community is equally essential. I know how isolating both wellness and entrepreneurship can feel, and my hope is to build Solstice as a brand that offers real connection at every level. Whether it’s through our practitioner partnerships or the content we share, I want people to feel supported, seen, and part of something meaningful.

Education is central. I don’t believe in gatekeeping wellness. When people understand how and why something works, it becomes that much more powerful. That belief is already shaping how we build the app, how we talk about ear seeds, and how I lead with clarity, transparency, and the intention to make this practice accessible.

How do you balance the demands of entrepreneurship with your physical and emotional health? What specific tools or practices have you integrated into your daily routine to maintain mental well-being?

Movement has become one of my most essential tools for managing stress, protecting my mental health, and staying grounded. On the days I prioritize exercise, whether it’s hiking, Pilates, a Peloton ride, or simply walking my dog, I feel a noticeable shift. My mood lifts, my thoughts get clearer, and I’m able to navigate challenges with more calm and clarity.

As a founder, there’s always another fire to put out or task to check off, but movement anchors me. It’s my reset button. I’ve learned that clarity doesn’t come from pushing harder; it comes from creating space to breathe, move, and recalibrate. I used to see that time for myself as selfish. Now, I understand it’s essential. When I care for myself, everyone around me benefits too.

What advice would you give to other women wanting to start or grow businesses in an intentional way?

Get yourself a tribe. The road isn’t linear; it’s full of dips, curves, and unexpected detours, but it becomes so much more doable (and way more joyful!) when you’re surrounded by people who truly have your back. Find the ones who will celebrate every win with you, help you clear obstacles, and brainstorm through the hard moments. The ones who listen when that’s all you need and remind you why you started when you forget.

Being a solopreneur can be overwhelming, and having a community to lean on has been absolutely critical to my ability to keep going.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Ear seeds and auricular acupressure are complementary wellness practices and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning any new wellness routine.