The Artemis 2 crew held an in-flight press conference today sharing their reflections on the historic lunar flyby and the operational realities of their mission as they coast back toward Earth.
Speaking to the media from deep space, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen provided a candid look into the human experience of the mission, from the intense geological science timeline to the emotional weight of their vantage point.
A bond forged
Commander Reid Wiseman opened up about one of the most deeply personal moments of the flight: the crew’s request to name a lunar crater “Carroll” in memory of his late wife. Wiseman revealed that his three crewmates had secretly planned the gesture while in pre-launch quarantine at the Kennedy Space Center.
“I couldn’t give the speech,” Wiseman recalled. “And Jeremy, the kind of guy he is, he said he would do it. When Jeremy spelled Carroll’s name… that’s when I was overwhelmed with emotion. I looked over and Christina was crying. I put my hand down on Jeremy’s hand as he was still talking. I could just tell he was trembling. We all pretty much broke down right there.”
Wiseman described the event as the pinnacle moment of the mission, noting it permanently forged the crew’s bond ahead of their critical lunar observations.
Perspectives on a fragile planet
When asked how the mission had changed his worldview, Pilot Victor Glover explained that the journey had powerfully reaffirmed the perspectives he launched with.
“The perspective I launched with was that we live on a fragile planet in the vacuum and the void of space,” Glover said. “Our purpose on the planet as humans is to find joy, to find the joy in lifting each other up by creating solutions together instead of destroying. When you see it from out here, it doesn’t change it. It just absolutely reaffirms that. It’s almost like seeing living proof of it.”
Glover also elaborated on his reaction to seeing the lunar terminator—the dividing line between day and night on the Moon—from just a few thousand miles away. He described craters that appeared to be bottomless pits and towering peaks, comparing the scale and shock of the view to seeing the Grand Canyon or Meteor Crater for the very first time.
Earthset and maple cookies
The crew also recounted the stark reality of their 40-minute communications blackout when Orion passed behind the Moon. Wiseman described the moment the Earth set behind the lunar horizon, noting that he could see the Moon’s terrain projected across the Earth as it eclipsed.
With communications severed, the crew took a brief pause before diving into their most critical geological observations. Wiseman noted that the four astronauts shared Canadian maple cookies—brought aboard by Hansen—and took a few minutes to reflect on their isolation and distance from home.
The relay race to Artemis III
Mission Specialist Christina Koch emphasized that the crew views their flight as a relay race, with every test and operational workaround designed to set up the Artemis III crew for success.
“We are always thinking from the perspective of what is the next crew going to think about this? How will this help them to succeed?” Koch said. She noted that the crew has been highly diligent in documenting the manual piloting of the vehicle, the efficiency of their procedures, and the realities of the human system inside the cabin.
Preparing for splashdown
With Orion on a nominal return trajectory, the crew is beginning to shift their focus toward Friday’s reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean expected at 8:07 p.m. ET. Wiseman admitted that the crew has barely begun to process the volume of experiences they have collected.
“There’s so much data that you’ve seen already, but all the good stuff is coming back with us. There’s so many more pictures, so many more stories,” Wiseman said. “Riding a fireball through the atmosphere is profound as well. I can tell you it’s a lot, and lifelong memories I’m going to be thinking about and talking about for the rest of my life.”
Koch concluded the briefing by reflecting on the necessity of the risks the team has taken to advance deep space exploration.
“We can’t explore deeper unless we are doing a few things that are inconvenient, unless we’re making a few sacrifices, unless we’re taking a few risks,” Koch said. “And those things are all worth it.”