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Artemis 2 astronaut says being far from Earth made the planet feel more special
Summary
Christina Koch told colleagues on the International Space Station that viewing Earth from the Artemis 2 lunar flyby emphasized its beauty and the blackness around it; Artemis 2 is scheduled to splash down April 10 after the mission's moon flyby.
Content
Artemis 2, the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since 1972, is returning to Earth after a flyby of the moon and is scheduled to splash down April 10 off the coast of San Diego. The four-person crew — Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen — spoke with astronauts aboard the International Space Station on April 7. During the roughly 15-minute call, Koch described how looking back at Earth from near the moon highlighted both its beauty and the surrounding darkness. The exchange also noted mission milestones and the broader idea known as the "overview effect," a shift in perspective some astronauts report after seeing Earth from space.
Key details:
- Artemis 2 is the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972 and completed a lunar flyby before heading home.
- The crew members who took part in the call were Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen; ISS participants included Jessica Meir, Chris Williams, Jack Hathaway and Sophie Adenot.
- Koch said the blackness around Earth made the planet feel "even more special" and emphasized shared aspects of life on Earth.
- Victor Glover said much of the mission had surprised him, citing the April 1 launch, orbital maneuvers and the lunar flyby as key moments.
- The three cosmonauts currently aboard the ISS did not participate in the call.
Summary:
Artemis 2's crew described a changed perspective after their lunar flyby, with crew members highlighting how distance emphasized Earth's appearance and commonalities among people. The mission will end with a splashdown on April 10, and NASA is preparing subsequent Artemis missions, including Artemis 3 in 2027 and Artemis 4, which aims for a lunar landing in late 2028.
