The four Artemis II astronauts said Friday on Newsmax that their trip around the moon is still shaping how they view Earth and humanity, as they reflected on their historic mission.
Artemis II was the first crewed flight in NASA's Artemis program and the first time humans have traveled to the vicinity of the moon since the Apollo era, a milestone the astronauts discussed in terms of its significance for future space exploration.
Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen appeared on "Greg Kelly Reports," where they reflected on becoming part of a group of fewer than 30 people in history to travel to the vicinity of the moon.
Wiseman said returning to Earth has not brought a sense of normalcy, explaining that the scale of what they experienced still lingers in everyday life.
He said that change is most noticeable when looking at the night sky, after seeing parts of the moon's far side that no human has ever observed directly.
"Now when we look at the moon, we know what's around that left corner," Wiseman said.
The mission also included moments that required immediate focus. Hansen described a harrowing situation during the flight when a burning smell inside the capsule forced the crew to respond quickly, relying on training and coordination with ground control to assess the situation.
"It just kind of stops you in your tracks," Hansen said.
He added that the issue was ultimately determined not to be dangerous.
Koch said a key moment came when the spacecraft entered the moon's gravitational influence, known as the lunar sphere of influence, describing it as a shift in how the crew understood their position in space.
"We knew exactly when we passed into it," Koch said.
She also pointed to advances in camera technology that allowed the crew to capture clearer images than earlier missions.
Glover said the experience reinforced how interconnected people are when viewed from deep space and emphasized what it reveals about humanity.
"We're on this extraordinary planet. We're a group of humans that are weak as individuals, but strong as a collective, and that when we set goals, we can do extraordinary things," Glover said.
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Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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