Winston Scott to Newsmax: Spaceflight Affects One on a 'Spiritual Level'

Spaceflight presents both physical challenges and lasting emotional effects, former NASA astronauts Winston Scott and José Hernández told Newsmax on Sunday while discussing last week's Artemis II mission.

"I don't think you can fly in space and experience what I experienced on the shuttle and what these astronauts experience going around the moon," Scott, a retired U.S. Navy captain, said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend." "I don't think you can go through something like that and not have it affect you one way or another on a spiritual level."

Scott's comments came after astronaut Victor Glover, part of the recent Artemis mission, delivered an emotional message following the crew's return.

"I have not processed what we just did, and I'm afraid to start even trying," Glover said. "When this started on April 3, I wanted to thank God in public, and I want to thank God again. Because even bigger than my challenge, trying to describe what we went through, the gratitude of seeing what we saw, doing what we did, and being with who I was with. It's too big to just be in one body."

Scott said such reactions are common among astronauts, adding that Glover captured the experience in a way many astronauts would recognize.

"Victor Glover just did an amazing job, expressing the heartfelt feelings I think pretty much every astronaut feels," Scott said.

Scott also tied space exploration to a broader sense of national purpose.

"It truly is a life-changing experience," he said. "But you know, that's what America is all about. America is all about pushing boundaries, going further and faster, and doing miraculous things."

"And we are one nation under God, and that helps us to push those boundaries and accomplish things that have never been accomplished before," Scott added.

Hernández, also a former NASA astronaut, described the physical toll astronauts face when returning to Earth, including the challenges of reentry and readjusting to gravity.

"Well, you know, they checked in with medical as soon as they got back to Earth, and were all checked out and released to their families," Hernández said. "But I'll tell you, I can't imagine how the entry was."

He explained the return process involves a high-speed descent followed by a parachute-assisted splashdown.

"This was a semi-ballistic entry at 25,000 miles an hour starting off," Hernández said. "And then the heat shield and the atmosphere slows them down. And finally, the parachutes deploy, and they come to a soft landing in the ocean."

Hernández noted that conditions inside the capsule after landing can worsen motion sickness.

"I know I got nauseated coming back home, so being in the water only magnifies that effect," he said. "So I kind of felt sorry for them being over an hour inside the capsule on the water."

Looking ahead, Hernández said upcoming missions will continue building toward a sustained presence on the moon.

"Oh, we're definitely going to see the next couple of years," he said. "The next mission is next year. It's not going to go to the moon. It's going to orbit around Earth. But we're going to test out the docking mechanisms of the two different lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin."

He said missions planned for 2028 aim to begin scouting locations for a lunar base.

"And that's going to be the beginning of scouting the location where we're going to put a lunar base," Hernández said. "And then year after year, we're slowly going to build that lunar base."

Hernández added that the effort will involve international and private-sector partners and help pave the way for missions beyond the moon.

"It's great because it lays the groundwork for a test bed where we can test the technologies that are necessary for us to go to Mars and beyond," he said. "This is what allows us to commercialize those technologies and make our lives here on Earth even more comfortable."

GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!

Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.

You need to watch NEWSMAX today.

Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!

Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now

BEST OFFER:

Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.

Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.

Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!

Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.

Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!