To the moon and back: Artemis II made history and forged connections across the country

Artemis II’s four astronauts returned to Earth from their mission to the moon on Friday, with their gumdrop-shaped Orion spacecraft splashing down in the Pacific Ocean waters off the California coast.

Their dramatic earthly return culminated the first manned mission to the moon since 1972 – 54 years.

The $4.1 billion lunar journey, which launched April 1 from Florida, flew farther than humans have ever gone before, capturing detailed images of the far side of the moon.

The mission also captured a lot of interest and imaginations, with large audiences watching Artemis II’s takeoff, lunar voyage and splashdown of its Orion Integrity spacecraft.

“Artemis II truly feels like a turning point. We have not sent astronauts beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era. Just flying around the Moon again is significant on its own,” said Darsa Donelan, a physicist and mathematician with expertise in space science at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota.

“However, what stands out to me this time is the goal. It is not just about returning once as part of a space race. It is about finding ways to stay and work in space,” Donelan said.

‘SO COOL’

The Artemis II mission and its crew also have plenty of touchpoints and resonance across the country that contrast with contemporary stresses, divisions and conflicts.

“It’s just so cool. When are you ever going to have pictures from the far side of the moon?” said Angela Des Jardins, a solar physicist at Montana State University and director of the Montana Space Grant Consortium and Montana NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

The latter two programs encourage students to pursue studies and careers related to space exploration and research and development that can benefit from space missions.

Des Jardins points to the just-completed mission and its potential research and application benefits for satellites as well as radiation.

Donelan also sees the research potential, including for further space exploration.

“There is also a lot of interest in water ice on the moon. If we could use that for fuel or life support, it would be a complete game changer. The moon will not be the finish line for crewed missions, but the launch pad for future journeys,” Donelan said.

The Artemis mission is a precursor for a moon landing in 2028 and a permanent U.S. lunar base, and looks to set the table for future space missions to Mars.

‘A NEW ERA’

The Montana and Minnesota physicists also see resonance with the Artemis II crew — Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen.

Koch lived in Livingston, Montana, near Bozeman, before being selected for NASA’s astronaut corps.

Koch, who grew up dreaming of being an astronaut in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from North Carolina State University, is the first woman on a moon mission.

Des Jardins said Koch’s local ties and groundbreaking exploration helps connect with students in Montana and across the country.

“That really means a lot,” she said.

Donelan agrees, adding that Glover is the first person of color on a manned moon mission.

“This really feels like a new era of space exploration. We are not just pushing further out; we are doing so in a way that represents more of humanity,” Donelan said.

‘POINT OF PRIDE’

Work, training, testing and technology related to the Artemis mission also extends across the country.

“It’s the ultimate team sport,” said Adam Klein, a U.S. Navy captain and instructor at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland.

Klein said Artemis and other missions could not get off the ground without all the mission control, testing and training, engineering and support staff that are part of the efforts.

Klein, who grew up in Ohio and has also served as a NASA test pilot, said he has worked with and flown with all four members of the Artemis II crew. Wiseman and Glover both served in the U.S. Navy.

Klein said the Maryland-based test pilot school has helped train astronauts for decades across NASA space missions, including dating back to the first Apollo trips to the Moon. USNTPS pilots and instructors have helped with testing of capsules and spacecraft.

That includes the Artemis II mission.

“We have evaluated the Orion capsule design,” said Klein, adding he and NTPS aided with capsule launch testing.

NASA doesn’t have its own pilot training school, so the American space agency works with U.S. military branches on astronaut training. That includes astronauts working on vertical landings at Pax River to prepare them for lunar landings.

Klein said the Artemis mission is a “point of pride” for himself and others involved with astronaut training.

He hopes Artemis II offers “a big shot in the arm” for space exploration and support for such efforts.

“We push the boundaries of human exploration,” Klein said. “They are the best of humanity. They truly bring all of humanity together.”

UNDER THE SEA

Artemis is the Greek goddess of the moon, as well as wildlife and chastity. In Greek mythology, she is also the twin sibling of Apollo, the namesake of NASA's space moon missions in the 1960s and 1970s.

Two of the Artemis astronauts, Wiseman, the mission’s commander, and Hansen, the Canadian mission specialist, also trained at Florida International University’s Aquarius Reef Base, an underwater research laboratory in the Florida Keys.

The Aquarius center helps astronauts simulate the isolation and confinements of spaceflight.

Through a partnership with NASA, astronauts live and work underwater for periods of time to help them prepare for space missions.

SUPPLY CHAINS

NASA’s Artemis effort is also an expensive endeavor, with the most recent Moon mission costing $4.1 billion and a total long-term program cost approaching $100 billion.

There are more than 2,700 contractors and vendors supplying parts, technology and materials for the Artemis program.

Prominent contractors related to the mission and Artemis program include Lockheed Martin, which is the prime contractor for the Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft, as well as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.

Some companies provided multiple parts and technology for the lunar flyby.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, which is an arm of L3Harris Technologies, provided 108 elements for the Artemis II mission, including engines that powered the liftoff and avionics systems, according to Mary Engola, director of space communications for the aerospace company.

Engola said that work is conducted across multiple locations, including Washington state, California, Ohio and Florida.

Northrop Grumman made the rocket boosters for the Artemis II Mission. Those were built in Promontory, Utah. Northrop also built rocket motors at its plants in Elkton, Maryland and Magna, Utah.

Honeywell, which has footprints in North Carolina, Minnesota, Florida and other states, is providing 14 different products and parts to the Artemis missions, including navigation and data systems, display controls and flight software.

Two other Minnesota companies also did work for the latest NASA mission. Winona-based Midwest Metal Products cast eight large metal cylinders for the transporter that moved the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the launch pad.

Eden Prairie-based Stratasys made 3D-printed thermoplastic parts for Lockheed Martin’s Orion craft.

SOCIAL MEDIA MISSION

Artemis II was also the first moon mission in the social media age. That has allowed for engagement across popular platforms and the sharing of videos of photos of the journey, including dramatic shots of the far side of the moon.

“We need the public support,” said Klein, referring to not only backing for funding, but energy for space exploration. “This is able to truly inspire people.”

Des Jardins also noted the social media impacts, including images of the far side of the moon and astronauts' use of iPhones.

“They are the first astronauts who got to take their smartphones into space,” she said.