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NASA’s Artemis II mission marks a historic journey as its crew heads toward the moon, offering Americans an unprecedented glimpse into life aboard a spacecraft venturing farther from Earth than any mission in over 50 years.
The team, consisting of U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, embarked on their voyage aboard the towering 322-foot Orion spacecraft. They launched at 6:35 p.m. on Wednesday from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, setting course for a journey around the moon and back.
During a conversation with Fox News’ Trace Gallagher on Thursday night, the crew of four shared their experiences of being part of the mission destined to travel farther from home than any crew since the Apollo missions. They provided insights into their life aboard the Orion as they embarked on their 10-day expedition.
“In space, there’s no up or down, so I’ve been sleeping with my feet in one direction and my head in the other, and it’s quite comfortable,” mission specialist Christina Koch explained. “I think I’ll stay like this for the entire mission unless someone moves me. We’re learning to turn this space capsule into our home.”
The Artemis II crew includes, from left, Canadian astronaut and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialist Christina Koch, and pilot Victor Glover, as they participated in a video conference from lunar orbit on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)
Pilot Victor Glover said he was surprised when the crew got the “go for launch,” turning the mission into reality.
“We like to say that we’re prepared without having an expectation, but you know in the back of your mind, you kind of hope you launch,” he explained. “And then when we got really close, it was like, wait, we’re getting ready to go to space. And when those solids lit, you know, it was a ride where you’re trying to be professional, but the kid inside of you wants to break out and just hoot and holler.”
Glover credited NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team and launch control team, who have been preparing for the mission for months.
Artemis II rocket launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. This is the first time in 50 years NASA will send astronauts on a flight around the moon. (Credit: NASA)
“It was an example of how hard they’ve been working lately that we launched,” he said. “Even though we didn’t get to really watch, but it felt beautiful.”
As the crew answered questions, they passed around a floating microphone in zero gravity. The crew had just completed a trans-lunar injection burn, committing the mission to a trajectory toward the moon.
“We are definitely 100% on our way to the moon,” commander Reid Wiseman said. “The lunar gravity will take over in a couple of days here and start pulling us around the far side.”
From left to right, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch participate in a media gathering on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, outside the Canadian Embassy in Washington. (NASA/Keegan Barber)
Wiseman highlighted the significance of the Artemis II mission.
“At the end of our trans-lunar injection here, about an hour and a half ago, we just really looked at each other. And I know the United States has done this 1968 through 1972, but it’s just – this is unbelievable that we can put our minds to something and pull it off. This is an unbelievable technical accomplishment,” he said.
Koch added that the crew was proud that it was traveling farther from Earth than any crewed mission in more than 50 years.
“We are not necessarily a crew that lives on superlatives, but it is a milestone that’s important,” she said. “It’s important that people can understand and wrap their heads around what is the latest in what we’re doing? What does this mean relative to what we’ve done in the past? What are we gonna be pushing for into the future?”
The Artemis II crew was launched toward the moon on Thursday after a nearly 5-minute burn set the Orion spacecraft on a trajectory out of Earth’s orbit for the nearly 8-day flight to the lunar object and back. (NASA)
Artemis II follows the uncrewed Artemis I test flight and marks a major step toward future missions, including Artemis III, which is expected to involve a lunar lander from SpaceX, Blue Origin or both, according to NASA.
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