The Artemis II astronauts are set to take questions about their moon journey

Key Points:

• The Artemis II crew—NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—held their first news conference since returning from a historic 10-day mission around the moon, which marked the first human lunar travel since 1972 and set a new record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth.
• The astronauts described the intense reentry experience, including a brief free-fall moment caused by parachute deployment and concerns over partial heat shield erosion, which NASA is still analyzing to assess its impact on crew safety.
• The mission had profound psychological effects on the crew, who noted heightened awareness and mental health challenges during deep space travel, supported by operational psychologists and psychiatrists to prepare them for such stresses.
• The crew emphasized the strong familial bond formed through their shared experiences in the confined Orion spacecraft and expressed enthusiasm for future missions, with some crew members eager to attempt lunar surface landings.
• Looking ahead, the astronauts highlighted the need for accepting greater risks in human spaceflight as NASA and international partners aim to establish a permanent lunar base, underscoring the evolving challenges of deep space exploration.