Charlotte retired astronaut reflects on Artemis launch

Joan Higginbotham, a retired astronaut living in Charlotte, watched the Artemis launch and described an emotional reaction as the crew began an orbital mission that officials say will help build a long-term human presence on the moon.

The Artemis mission launched Thursday to begin a crewed journey to orbit the moon. The crew includes the first African American astronaut and the first woman reported as part of the trip, and the flight is presented as a new phase in lunar exploration. An estimated 500,000 people gathered to watch the launch after roughly three years of crew training. The mission will orbit rather than land on the moon and is reported as laying groundwork for future deep-space travel. Reported facts: - The Artemis mission launched Thursday as a crewed flight to orbit the moon. - The crew is reported to include the first African American astronaut and the first woman to make the trip. - About 500,000 people attended the launch and the crew trained for approximately three years. - Joan Higginbotham, a retired astronaut based in Charlotte who joined NASA in 1987 and became an astronaut in 1997, watched the launch and described an emotional reaction. - This flight will not land on the moon and is described as intended to support future efforts toward a long-term lunar presence. Summary: A retired Charlotte astronaut, Joan Higginbotham, described an emotional reaction and highlighted the public interest and crew diversity. Officials describe the mission as a step toward establishing a longer-term human presence on the lunar surface and as groundwork for future deep-space missions.