Artemis II astronauts shared their sense of awe on Saturday after completing their record-breaking lunar flyby, calling for greater unity on Earth after seeing the planet appear isolated like a “lifeboat” in space.
Speaking at a press conference, the crew reflected on NASA’s successful mission, which marked the first lunar flyby in more than 50 years and took humans farther into space than ever before, ending with a smooth splashdown off the California coast on Friday.
Joined by mission commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, astronaut Christina Koch urged people on Earth to recognize their shared humanity.
“What struck me wasn’t just Earth itself, but the vast blackness surrounding it. Earth looked like a lifeboat quietly floating in the universe,” Koch said.
“There’s one thing I now know for sure: Planet Earth — you are a crew.”
Hansen encouraged supporters of the Artemis mission to see a reflection of themselves in the four astronauts, who each made history—Glover as the first person of color to fly around the Moon, Koch as the first woman, and Hansen as the first Canadian on such a mission.
“I would suggest that when you look up here, you are not looking at us. We are a mirror reflecting you,” Hansen said.
“And if you like what you see, then look a little deeper. This is you.”
While traveling through deep space and orbiting the Moon, the Artemis astronauts captured thousands of photographs, creating a remarkable collection of images.
They also observed a solar eclipse and witnessed meteor impacts on the lunar surface.
“Artemis II will always be remembered. It was the moment we all saw the Moon again, where childhood dreams became missions. You helped the world start believing again, and this is something no one will ever forget,” said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman.
Artemis II marked the first crewed mission in NASA’s program aimed at establishing a long-term presence on the Moon, including plans for a future lunar base to support deeper space exploration, including missions to Mars.
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