While the first Artemis mission sent the uncrewed Orion spacecraft to orbit the Moon, Artemis II sent humans. To be more specific, Artemis II was the first time humans had been to the Moon in 56 years.
On April 1, 2026, a NASA crew set off to orbit the Moon in the Orion spacecraft to test their new space equipment and pave the way for future lunar missions. This mission is known as a “crewed lunar flyby,” which entails the crew orbiting the Moon but not landing like the Apollo 11 crew did. The mission lasted 9 days, 1 hour, and 32 minutes, and the crew successfully landed in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026.
What ARTEMIS II means for humanity
By getting humans closer to the moon, NASA is bringing humans closer to a great amount of knowledge. This is essential for our society; learning more about space and the Moon leads humans to learn more about Earth, which then leads to a more productive and knowledgeable society. Exploring the Moon is especially important because the Moon is so necessary for our Earth.
As someone interested in the vast world of outer space, this mission intrigued me. I’m excited to see what societal advancements these new findings about space will bring, and what new bits of information about space I might learn that I hadn’t known before.
what ARTEMIS II means for women
Female astronaut Christina Koch was the only woman on the Artemis II mission, but she had something more significant that set her apart. Koch was the first woman to ever be sent to the Moon.
Since getting sent to space is rarer for women astronauts, being sent on a mission to the Moon is absolutely influential. Women all around the world feel represented and inspired by Koch and her accomplishments, and she serves as an especially impactful role model to girls who aspire to be astronauts. She reminds women and girls that they’re more than capable of following their dreams, even in male-dominated fields.
In my opinion, this photo of Christina Koch is an empowering feminist symbol. By showcasing a universally-feminine hairstyle in such a powerful place, it brings women together all around the world.
As a woman myself, I too am influenced by Christina Koch. Seeing female representation on this large of a scale is important to me, and it gives me hope that women will continue to have more representation everywhere in life. I love the image of Christina Koch’s braid in space; it makes me feel empowered and united with other women.