Featured Essays Artemis II The Best Moments From the Artemis II Mission The best moments from a 10 day journey that made the world feel a little less bleak By Matthew Byrd | Published on April 13, 2026 Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky Comment 0 Share New Share Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky On April 1, 2026, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen began a 10-day voyage into space as part of NASA’s Artemis II program. The technical purpose of the Artemis II program was to expand what NASA learned from the unmanned Artemis I flight and test the capabilities of the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft in deep space environments. Through this mission, NASA hopes to broaden its understanding of the capabilities of its modern technology and make a giant leap forward toward the dream of landing more astronauts on the moon and eventually sending a crew to Mars. Artemis II has become more than that, though. As the first crewed voyage to deep space in over 50 years, Artemis II represents hope in the minds of the many who still dream of humanity one day exploring the deepest reaches of space. Perhaps more importantly, this mission comes at a time of often overwhelming global atrocities and divisiveness that contradict the humanity, knowledge, and unity that such expeditions were once intended to represent. It is a testament to the mission’s power that so many have found so much comfort in this voyage during days when the vacuum of deep space somehow feels less dark than the average day on Earth. More than a symbolic trek, Artemis II has thus far rewarded us with a number of incredible moments that have made following the progress of the Orion spacecraft dubbed Integrity one of the greatest pure pleasures in recent memory. These are just some of those moments. Everyone Was Watching the Artemis II Launch (Even From an Airplane) The launch of any spacecraft tends to be a magical moment bolstered by collective excitement, tension, and, naturally, rocket propulsion. Thankfully, the Artemis II crew enjoyed a successful (if certainly no less thrilling) launch on April 1, 2026 that kicked off their 10-day mission.  And while living during a time when everyone has a camera can be both beneficial and frustrating on a case-by-case basis, the launch of Artemis II was impressively documented by many who witnessed it from slightly different angles. One of the most memorable pieces of fan footage came from an airline passenger who happened to spot the Artemis II craft flying towards the heavens outside of their window. Would this author have been too preoccupied with a book and the shade down to ever spot such a generational moment? The world will never know.  The Artemis II Crew Recreates the Full House Intro The social media savvy crew of the Artemis II and their terrestrial teammates have done an incredible job of utilizing various platforms to keep people updated about the mission’s status and explain why it is so important. More importantly, they’ve never forgotten to be a little silly about the whole thing.  So far as that goes, the team’s masterpiece may just be this Instagram Reel that introduces us to the crew by recreating the Full House intro. Presumably, that intro was chosen because of its instant recognizability, strangely appropriate lyrics (“when you’re lost out there, and you’re all alone”), and the fact that the crew is living in an incredibly full “house.” Having said that, one wonders if it’s too late to have each member of the crew perform a rendition of the theme from The Golden Girls.  Rise, the Zero-G Indicator Ball If you watched the above Instagram Reel, you probably have questions about the undeniable star of that show: Rise, the Zero-Gravity Indicator.  Technically, Rise is there as a quick indicator of when the crew entered a weightless environment. It is so much more than that, though. Designed by eight-year-old Lucas Ye as part of a global competition, and modeled after a photo of the Apollo 8 mission, Rise is the mascot of the Artemis II mission. Rise also has a built-in storage chip that contains the names of over 5 million people who submitted their best wishes to the crew.  The Apollo 8 Patch Returns to Space Speaking of Apollo 8, the reason that mission is so significant to the Artemis II crew is that the Apollo 8 voyage represents the first time that a crew of astronauts reached the moon. Furthermore, both are seen as endeavors meant to broaden the minds and open the hearts of the millions who follow their historic journeys. And in a very special video update, the Artemis II crew revealed that their ship contains astronaut Jim Lovell’s patch from the Apollo 8 mission. It’s a simple, powerful reminder of the history and significance of these missions, and it wasn’t the last time the Artemis II crew would be reminded of their connection to the Apollo 8 team. Astronaut Jim Lovell Recorded a Special Message for the Artemis II Team Shortly before the Artemis II crew made history by traveling farther from Earth than any humans before them (about 252,756 miles), they listened to a very special message from astronaut Jim Lovell which began with the words “Hello, Artemis II, this is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood.” As we later learned, Lovell had actually recorded a message for the Artemis II crew just two months before his death in August 2025. Along with being a member of the aforementioned Apollo 8 crew, Lovell led the famous Apollo 13 journey that previously set the record for the longest distance traveled from Earth before its crew encountered mechanical difficulties that led to their dramatic re-entry. Lovell was actually played by Tom Hanks in the 1995 Apollo 13 movie.  The Artemis II Team Pays Tribute to a Lost Family Member When the Artemis II crew reached their historic distance from Earth, they spotted a couple of craters on the moon that had not been previously identified. As their discoverers, they had the right to name these craters. The first was dubbed Integrity: a reference to the name of their Orion spacecraft.  The second crater was christened “Carroll.” As many on Earth soon learned, Carroll was the name of Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman’s wife, who tragically passed away in 2020. A Solar Eclipse Provides One of Artemis II’s Most Stunning Photos Photo: NASA The Artemis II mission has gifted us with a number of incredible photos (many of which you can view here), but the biggest showstopper may just be this incredible image of a solar eclipse as seen from the other side of the moon.  That remarkable photo is perhaps most easily labeled as “cinematic,” though its true beauty may be found in the relative commonality of the event itself. Roughly a few times a year, we on Earth get to witness a solar eclipse. It’s not that we necessarily take events for granted, but over time, it’s easy to lose a little appreciation for their full significance. This photo not only shows that the event is just as stunning from a couple of hundred thousand miles away but puts into perspective the grandeur of what we are actually witnessing in those moments.  Jeremy Hansen’s First Spaceflight Ceremony I was tragically not allowed to be an astronaut (I was found physically, mentally, and emotionally wanting), but I’m told that astronauts receive two special pins as part of their first voyage. They receive the first, a silver pin, when they complete a rigorous training program. The second, a gold pin, is reserved for the moment they actually make it into space.  And on Easter, astronaut Jeremy Hansen finally received his gold pin. It was an incredible moment for Hansen who joined the Canadian Space Agency in 2009 but has never had the chance to travel into space until now. It is also a reminder of how rare that honor is even in organizations dedicated to advancements in that field. The Constant Struggles of the Artemis II Toilet Though much of the Artemis II mission will be remembered for its historic, technical, and cultural significance, a not insignificant amount of the conversation surrounding the mission so far has revolved around the crew’s toilet.  See, the Artemis II toilet has been acting up and malfunctioning for pretty much the entire journey. But that story that began as a literal piece of toilet humor for many has grown into something else entirely. As NASA struggles to understand why they can’t seem to get that toilet to work as it very much should, we are reminded that the challenges of space travel aren’t limited to big ideas like terraforming, FTL, and first contact. Even getting the toilet to flush is a trial-and-error endeavor of epic proportions.  Is That a Floating Jar of Nutella? Our fascination with what astronauts eat and how they eat it goes far beyond toilet technology drama. From NASA helping Tang become a cultural cornerstone to the unlikely rise of astronaut ice cream, we just can’t seem to help but be a little curious about everyone’s intergalactic brunch plans.  So maybe it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that a runaway jar of Nutella became one of the seemingly unlikely stars of the Artemis II mission. Those watching the crew attempt to break the record for the longest distance traveled from Earth likely caught a glimpse of a jar of Nutella that floated so perfectly into frame that you’d swear the Nutella company must have put it there themselves (they didn’t, but they were quick to capitalize on it). As it turns out, the Artemis II team gets to enjoy a variety of largely freeze-dried food that is prepared to meet the unique demands of outer space. Nutella, it seems, is one of those treats that they get to eat in a slightly purer form.  As a bonus, be sure to check out this infographic breakdown of the Artemis II pantry, which includes Barbecued Beef Brisket, Mango Salad, quite a few tortillas, and five different hot sauces. Amaze, Amaze, Amaze Working for NASA is, of course, an incredibly serious endeavor that requires some of the smartest people in the world to undergo years worth of training and education simply for the chance to join the space program. It is, however, also rooted in a childlike love for all things space. At times, that love shines through all else.  Actually, one of the more adorable moments of the Artemis II mission occurred when a NASA team member was checking in with the crew. Caught up in the wonder of the visuals and information they were receiving, the NASA member uttered the words “Amaze, amaze, amaze,” a reference to the words the alien Rocky delightfully utters in Project Hail Mary. Is there any connection to NASA quoting an alien and President Barack Obama’s publicly stated belief that aliens are real? Of course not. Unless, of course, there very much is.  Impact Flash Sightings Bring Out the Kids in NASA Scientists Speaking of the NASA team members back at home, they’ve actually had a few times to shine throughout this journey despite (much like the rest of us) being cursed to be stuck on Earth. Arguably the most endearing of those team members we’ve caught a glimpse of so far has to be this NASA scientist who was very, very excited to hear about impact flashes.  See, an impact flash is an intense burst of light that may occur when an object strikes the moon. They’re not especially common (at least from our perspective) and we obviously don’t get the chance to see them up close very often. So it’s understandable that the NASA science team shared the Artemis crew’s “giddiness” when they reported seeing several impact flashes during their voyage. Anyone with a love for science will likely feel their heart melt when they see one of those scientists fail to contain an expression of pure joy.  Microsoft Outlook Also Doesn’t Work in Space When NASA first started sending people into space, they relied on technology far more advanced than the average person could ever dream of having access to. Now, your phone is significantly more powerful than the earliest NASA computers. While NASA still relies on the most advanced equipment to make the seemingly impossible possible, it’s certainly common to see pieces of civilian technology in space.  A pretty hilarious reminder of the “value” of that technology occurred early in the Artemis II mission when Commander Wiseman reported that his Microsoft Outlook program had stopped working on multiple devices. Here on Earth, an email program crashing yet again likely means a light day at work. In space, it’s a bit more dramatic, though no less funny.  The Wake-Up Songs More recent crewed missions have seen NASA use “wake-up songs.” As the name suggests, those songs are broadcast to the spaceship and used as an alarm to ensure that NASA and the crew are working on the same schedule. As anyone who has struggled to put together the perfect playlist can tell you, picking these songs is an intimidating and enjoyable endeavor. The perfect wake-up song is inspiring and, if possible, somehow thematically appropriate.  Here’s a list of the wake-up songs that the Artemis II crew has heard during their journey: Day 1: “Sleepyhead” by Young & Sick Day 2: “Green Light” by John Legend (feat. André 3000) Day 3: “In a Daydream” by Freddy Jones Band Day 4: “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan Day 5: “Working Class Heroes (Work)” by CeeLo Green Day 6: “Good Morning” by Mandisa and TobyMac Day 7: “Tokyo Drifting” by Denzel Curry and Glass Animals Day 8: “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie Day 9: “Good Morning” by Mandisa and TobyMac Day 10: “Run to the Water” by Live Bonus Song: “Free” by Zac Brown Band “Pink Pony Club” proved to be an especially big hit among the crew who requested that NASA let the song reach the chorus next time around. The Splashdown Leading up to the return of the Artemis II crew, various publications were quick to point out that the landing (splashdown, really) was arguably the most dangerous and trickiest part of the entire voyage. That’s partially due to the inherently complex nature of that process, but in this particular instance, the danger was amplified by a known flaw in the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. Leading up to the slightly less than 15-minute-long re-entry procedure, tensions were understandably high. And yet, things went off without any real hitches. On April 10, around 8:00 PM EDT, the Artemis II team landed just off the coast of San Diego and were brought aboard the deck of the USS John P. Murtha about two hours later. The end of their journey echoed the rest of the experience in that it was a surprisingly smooth historical endeavor that offers hope for the future from both a technical and emotional perspective. More importantly, it let the brave crew finally return to their kids, dogs, and all other loved ones.[end-mark] The post The Best Moments From the Artemis II Mission appeared first on Reactor.