Humanity’s hopes ascended with Artemis II : NPR

The Artemis II mission launched dramatically into the evening sky on Wednesday, setting off on a journey to orbit the moon and return. This mission marks the first human trip to the moon since the Apollo flights ended in 1972, with four astronauts onboard.

“We have a beautiful moonrise,” said mission commander Reid Wiseman shortly after the rocket took off. “We’re headed right at it.”

The crew is set to journey over 250,000 miles from Earth, farther than any humans have traveled before.

Witnessing the Artemis launch was an emotional experience for our family. The sight of the rocket ascending into the spring sky, carrying humans into space, was a powerful reminder. While rockets often symbolize destruction, they can also represent human ingenuity and the quest for knowledge.

The launch brought to mind the countless professionals—mechanics, physicists, doctors, designers, engineers, technicians, and safety experts—who worked tirelessly for various agencies, companies, and universities. Their dedication and the encouragement from their mentors made it possible to build the rocket and capsule that now carry Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen into space.

Over the years, I have spoken with many astronauts, often pilots and scientists, who have been inspired to describe how viewing Earth from space can profoundly affect one’s perspective, prompting reflections on our place in the universe.

The 24 astronauts who have journeyed to the moon have described our blue planet as appearing “tiny, tiny against a black velvet background” of space, as Michael Collins from Apollo 11 once shared in 2019.

Apollo 14 pilot Ed Mitchell saw Earth from the moon’s orbit as “a sparkling blue and white jewel, a delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising gradually like a small pearl in a thick sea of black mystery.”

Jim Lovell, who orbited the moon on the Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 missions, marveled at how “just from the distance of the moon you can put your thumb up and you can hide the Earth behind your thumb,” reflecting on how fortunate we are to live on such a beautiful planet.

Watching Artemis ascend this week offered a glimpse into the aspirations of humanity reaching for the stars.