The Artemis II crew—(clockwise from left) Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover—pause for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft during their return journey. NASA. Since departing Earth nine days ago, the Artemis II crew has accomplished remarkable feats. They surpassed Apollo 13’s record for the greatest distance traveled in space; they captured stunning photographs during their lunar flyby; they suggested two new crater names, one honoring Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll. They now face one final, crucial leg of their journey: getting home safely. Artemis II is a historic mission for NASA. Last week, a team of American and Canadian astronauts—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch—launched from Earth aboard a 332-foot-tall rocket for a feat humanity hasn’t achieved in over 83 years: a journey to the Moon. It’s also a team of numerous lunar firsts: Glover is the first Black person headed to the moon, Hansen is the first Canadian, and Koch is the first woman. During a Wednesday press conference, the crew opened up personally about the mission’s significance to them, their families, and the global community. “From the start, our crew’s ethos and values have centered on this being a relay race,” Koch said. In fact, we bought batons to physically symbolize that.
