More than three months following their launch from a Kennedy Space Center launchpad, the crew of Artemis II returned to the Cape on July 8 and got an opportunity to visit the spacecraft that took them around the moon.
Launching atop the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B, the four flew around the moon in their Orion spacecraft, breaking the record for the farthest space flight, which had been 248,655 miles from Earth set by the Apollo 13 crew. Artemis II flew 252,760 miles from Earth.
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch — all NASA astronauts —and Canadian Space Agency astronaut and mission specialist Jeremey Hansen reflected on their launch day, noting that the KSC Press Site felt different without the rocket in the backdrop.
They also said it was a bit surreal to see their spacecraft sitting back in its KSC facility.
“We were just right outside Integrity a few hours ago. Very emotional to see our spacecraft there in post-processing,” Wiseman said.
The Artemis II crew swung around the moon on a 10-day mission that could set the stage for humans to return to the surface as early as 2028.
The four astronauts said their schedule is packed until the end of the year as they continue post-mission appearances. Yet this appearance came on the heels of the announcement that Hansen will be leaving his role as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut.
“I wouldn’t phrase it as stepping back,” said Hansen. He instead spoke of using his platform to support bringing Canadian talent to NASA’s ambitions.
“That door is wide open, and I’m making sure people know that I’m ready to keep rolling and keep contributing,” he said.
The Artemis II mission took over social media, captivating the public in a way that was reminiscent of the Apollo days. And while much of the excitement has subsided, Artemis II is still on the minds of many.
“We got to do something we truly cherish, and we owe it to the Astronaut Office, to NASA, to the international community, Canadian Space Agency, to just always be ambassadors, to always give back, to have lifelong commitment,” Wiseman said.
Wiseman noted that while he was boarding a plane in France just over a week ago, a lady walked up to him and handed him a handwritten note on the back of a boarding pass, thanking him and the crew for reminding the world about joy and hope.
If NASA can keep to the planned timeline, the next Artemis mission will not be far away.
In an effort to get the SLS rocket flying more frequently and test the upcoming Blue Origin and SpaceX lunar landers in low Earth orbit, Artemis III is set to launch as soon as next year. NASA hopes the low-Earth orbit test will bring the space agency closer to Artemis IV, the planned lunar landing in 2028.
The astronauts for Artemis III are Commander Randy Bresnik; Pilot Luca Parmitano, an Italian from the European Space Agency; Mission Specialist Andre Douglas and Mission Specialist Frank Rubio.
“We handed the red baton off to Randy Bresnik,” said Wiseman. “That was deeper than I expected it to be.”
Koch said that she and the Artemis II crew are not there to impose advice on the Artemis III crew, as they may have very different challenges and solutions.
“This is their mission, and they are going to take it farther than we took it,” said Koch. “They are going to innovate. They are going to take it with their frame of mind, and I can’t wait to see what they do.”
After returning humans to the lunar surface, NASA plans to stay. In the coming years, the agency plans to establish a permanent presence with a Moon Base on the lunar south pole.
“I wish I could walk on the moon, but I’m also going to tell you that I can’t wait to watch my friends walk on the moon,” said Wiseman. “I’ve never been alive when that has happened, and I’m going to be cheering the loudest out of 9 billion people.”
“When we go back to the moon, it is not going to be like controlling an International Space Station mission. As good as we have gotten at that in 30 years, we’re going to have to do some things differently,” said Glover.
Glover noted that he and Koch were recently speaking with Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, and he had some advice for future Artemis moonwalkers.
“We’re going to have to train them, trust them, and turn them loose,” said Glover.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Artemis II crew returns to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for first time
Reporting by Brooke Edwards, Florida Today / Florida Today
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By Brooke Edwards, Florida Today | USA TODAY Network
