Artemis II crew says they are forever bonded.

Artemis II astronauts returned to Houston after a roughly 250,000-mile mission around the moon and described a deep, lasting bond formed during the flight.

The Artemis II crew appeared onstage in Houston after returning from their mission, greeted by NASA officials, government representatives and fellow astronauts. Crew members spoke about intense personal feelings and the connections formed during the flight. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman noted the mission marked a return to sending astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and thanked partners and supporters. The flight traveled around the moon and concluded with crew recovery and medical checkout. Key details: - The crew members named in the remarks were commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. - The astronauts said they felt a lasting bond from the mission and described strong emotions on return, including gratitude and wonder at seeing Earth from afar. - The mission traveled about 250,000 miles, flew around the moon, and used NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft. - The crew broke a human spaceflight distance record and conducted science and lunar observations during the flight. - The article notes Jeremy Hansen was the first Canadian to fly beyond Earth orbit. Summary: The crew’s public remarks emphasized human connection and the emotional resonance of traveling beyond low Earth orbit. NASA and partners described the flight as a milestone as Artemis missions continue; specific timing for the next mission is undetermined at this time.