Artemis II Astronauts Reflect on Historic Lunar Mission

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen have returned to Earth after completing the Artemis II mission, marking the first crewed lunar voyage since 1972. The 10-day mission, which concluded with a Pacific Ocean splashdown on April 10, 2026, took the crew on a journey of over 690,000 miles, including a flyby of the Moon at a distance of approximately 4,067 miles from its surface.

Reflecting on the mission, Pilot Victor Glover expressed his joy at the public's engagement: "We really wanted that, and it's great to see that it happened." Mission Specialist Christina Koch emphasized the crew's gratitude for the support received: "I think we've all taken most of our time to really just solidify, to process, to give back, to just feel grateful for the teams that put this together, for the people that supported us, for the people that worked so hard for so many years, to bring back benefits, and to show this beautiful world we all share."

The mission also featured a plush toy named Rise, designed by 8-year-old Lucas Ye, serving as a zero-gravity indicator. Commander Reid Wiseman explained that the toy was made of flame-retardant materials for safety during the mission.

Following their return, the astronauts are focusing on recovery and spending time with loved ones. Glover, who turned 50 on the day of the interview, stated, "I have a lot to process from those 10 days still, so I'm gonna focus on doing a little bit of that."