(Photo: The Artemis II crew — Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman — is seen in orange suits training for capsule recovery aboard the U.S.S. San Diego, captured last year.)
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center this Wednesday, four remarkable astronauts stepped into the spotlight. Their message was clear and powerful: a call for global collaboration and a shared vision to inspire humanity across the globe.
Jeremy Hansen, an astronaut representing the Canadian Space Agency, emphasized the critical importance of unity. “Collaboration must be our ultimate goal,” he stated, “if all eight billion of us are to forge a bright future on this planet.”
Hansen, along with his three American counterparts, is preparing for the groundbreaking Artemis II mission. This pioneering NASA endeavor will see them journey around the moon and safely back to Earth, potentially as early as next February.
Reflecting on their journey, Mr. Hansen envisioned a profound moment: “As we round the far side of the moon, imagine humanity pausing to truly grasp what we can achieve when we unite. Let’s use that realization to inspire greater cooperation here on Earth today.”
These sentiments were shared by Mr. Hansen and his fellow crew members – NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch – during a recent press briefing.
Their harmonious message resonated strongly, particularly as it contrasted with the often-divided political landscape of our current world. It stood in stark opposition to comments made just days prior by Sean Duffy, NASA’s acting administrator and the U.S. transportation secretary.
Earlier in the week, during a ceremony to introduce the newest class of 10 astronaut candidates, Mr. Duffy characterized the moon program as a competitive race. He framed it as a direct contest between the United States and China, with China having publicly declared its intention to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.
In a tone reminiscent of a passionate sports coach delivering a pre-game pep talk, Mr. Duffy declared, “I’ll be damned if the Chinese beat NASA. We are going to win.”
Interestingly, despite direct questions regarding Mr. Duffy’s comments, the Artemis II crew deliberately avoided any mention of China during their press conference. Instead, their enthusiasm for the upcoming launch was palpable.
“Typically, within a crew, there’s this magical moment when everyone looks around and just knows, ‘Ah, we’re ready to go,’” Mission Commander Mr. Wiseman shared.
The Artemis II journey involves a 10-day expedition during which the astronauts will stay confined within their Orion crew capsule. Their itinerary includes a swing around the moon, culminating in a splashdown back on Earth in the Pacific Ocean, near San Diego.
While a lunar landing isn’t part of this mission, the crew will achieve a historic milestone: they will come closer to the moon than any human in over half a century.
The primary objective of Artemis II is to rigorously test Orion’s crucial life support systems, a validation that can only be achieved with a human crew onboard.
With an interior roughly the size of two minivans, personal space will be a luxury the crew won’t have.
As Ms. Koch candidly put it, “We won’t have that luxury.”
She explained that the crew has deliberately spent extensive time together in confined environments. “We’re prepared to handle those minor inconveniences,” she affirmed, “but also to master the communication required to understand when a team member needs a moment of solitude.”
The strong bond and familiarity among the Artemis II astronauts are partly a result of their extended training period, which has kept them together longer than initially anticipated.
(Photo: Inside the Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building, the colossal orange Artemis II Space Launch System rocket undergoes preparation, as seen in July.)
Originally, NASA aimed for an Artemis II launch in late 2023, following the uncrewed Artemis I test flight of the Orion capsule and its Space Launch System rocket. While Artemis I proved largely successful, Orion’s heat shield suffered unexpected damage upon re-entry, prompting extensive investigations by engineers.
However, in December 2024, NASA announced a further postponement for Artemis II, pushing its target date to April 2026.
Yet, an interesting development emerged.
Typically, NASA uses ‘no earlier than’ for launch projections, acknowledging potential delays. This time, however, for the April 2026 target, they stated ‘no later than,’ suggesting an optimistic possibility of an earlier launch.
Now, NASA officials are hinting at an even earlier launch, possibly as soon as February 5th. Signs across the Johnson Space Center proudly proclaim ’20 weeks until launch,’ reflecting the agency’s renewed confidence in meeting this accelerated timeline.
The highly anticipated Artemis III mission, which will see astronauts land on the moon, is slated for mid-2027. However, even NASA officials overseeing the lunar program acknowledge that SpaceX’s Starship, the massive rocket designed to serve as the lunar lander, is behind schedule.
Lori Glaze, NASA’s acting associate administrator for human exploration, noted in a recent interview, “If we forecast where they are, it’s beyond where we were targeting.”
She further added that SpaceX has pledged to expedite their development efforts.
Beyond paving the way for Artemis III, the Artemis II astronauts are also eager to conduct unprecedented scientific observations during their flight.
Ms. Koch shared an exciting prospect: the Artemis II crew might become the first humans to directly gaze upon the moon’s far side as they orbit, positioned over 5,000 miles above its surface. Unlike the Apollo missions, which always landed on the sunlit near side, the far side could be bathed in sunlight during their flyby.
(Photo: A candid shot from July shows Mr. Wiseman, Mr. Glover, Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons, and Mr. Hansen collaborating within the Orion mission simulator at Johnson Space Center.)
“Believe it or not,” she remarked, “human eyes are among the best scientific instruments we possess.” She suggested they might perceive subtle colors invisible to orbiting robotic cameras.”
The crew also unveiled the chosen name for their Orion spacecraft: Integrity.
Mr. Wiseman later recounted how, a few months prior, the primary crew and their backups brainstormed names for the capsule.
“We considered every name imaginable,” Mr. Wiseman explained, “and surprisingly, ‘Integrity’ wasn’t initially on our list. I believe Christina suggested it towards the end.”
The name resonated perfectly with the mission statements and core values of both participating space agencies.
“Once ‘Integrity’ was proposed,” Mr. Wiseman concluded, “the decision was made within minutes. We were done.”
Looking ahead a century or two, Mr. Wiseman expressed a humble hope for their legacy: he wished for the team to eventually “fade into history.”
“If we are forgotten,” he explained, “it means Artemis has truly succeeded. It means humanity has reached Mars, established presence on the moons of Saturn, and is actively expanding across our solar system.”
He added, “Perhaps our lasting impact will be a footnote – that we inspired a Susie or a Johnny somewhere to pursue their dreams. That, in itself, would be truly magical.”