'It's a special thing to be on Planet Earth': Artemis crew welcomed home in Houston
The four astronauts flew around the Moon in a nine-day voyage that took them further from Earth than any humans in history.
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Notable Quotes
"the most special thing I ever went through in my life"
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"The thing that changed for me looking back at Earth was that I found myself noticing not only the beauty of the Earth, but how much blackness there was around it, and how it just made it even more special."
— Christina Koch , Other
"I don't mean to give you such a short answer, but I can truly say 'everything.'"
— Victor Glover , Other
"Frankly, you know, Christina and crew right now are in a very precarious state. They’re in a tiny little bubble, hurtling towards Earth."
— John Grunsfeld , Academic
"We were eagerly awaiting the chorus."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"The vehicle is in excellent shape."
— Rob Navias , Executive
"the most special thing that will ever happen in my life."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"I have not fully processed what we just did yet, but was full of gratitude."
— Victor Glover , Other
"one of many great 'human moments' that began and ended the mission."
— Christina Koch , Other
"you’re not looking at us. We are a mirror reflecting you."
— Jeremy Hansen , Other
"the greatest adventure in human history."
— Jared Isaacman , Executive
"It’s a special thing to be human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"Welcome home Artemis II."
— Jared Isaacman , Executive
"After a brief 53-year intermission, the show goes on and NASA is back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon and bringing them home safely."
— Jared Isaacman , Executive
"It's a special thing to be a human and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
Key People
Andre 3000 is a musician and member of the hip-hop duo OutKast.
CeeLo Green is an American singer and songwriter known for his hit songs.
Chappell Roan is a pop artist known for her viral songs.
NASA astronaut also part of the Artemis 2 mission.
Freddy Jones Band is an American rock band known for their alternative music.
Glass Animals is an English indie rock band known for their eclectic sound.
Jared Isaacman is the new head of NASA and an amateur jet pilot known for being the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.
Astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency who flew on Artemis 2.
An astronaut with NASA who is part of the Crew-12 mission to the ISS.
Grunsfeld is a former astronaut who made five space-shuttle trips.
John Legend is a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter.
Mandisa is a contemporary Christian music singer and American Idol finalist.
NASA astronaut who flew on the Artemis 2 mission.
NASA spokesperson who commented on the Artemis 2 mission.
ToyMac is a Grammy-winning Christian hip hop artist.
NASA astronaut who participated in the Artemis 2 mission.
Young and Sick is a musical project known for covering popular songs.
Tags
All Coverage
The four astronauts flew around the Moon in a nine-day voyage that took them further from Earth than any humans in history.
Four astronauts welcomed home Saturday in Houston after historic 10-day mission around the moon, reflecting emotionally on their journey and expressing their deep bond formed during the mission.
During a recent call from space, Artemis 2 astronaut Christina Koch reflected on the profound experience of seeing Earth from lunar distance, emphasizing how the vast blackness surrounding the planet heightened her appreciation for its uniqueness and beauty.
The article celebrates NASA’s Artemis II mission and its crew for rekindling public awe for human spaceflight, highlighting the extraordinary individuals aboard and their resilience and strength.
NASA's Artemis II mission has integrated a light-hearted tradition to boost astronaut morale: musical wake-up calls, featuring a variety of songs selected by the mission control team in Houston.
The Artemis II mission concluded successfully on April 10, 2026, marking a historic moment as NASA's Orion spacecraft and its four-member crew returned from the moon, the first crewed lunar journey in over five decades.
The four crew of the Artemis Two lunar mission have been given a heroes' welcome during a news conference in Houston less than 24 hours after successfully landing back down to Earth.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomed the Artemis II crew back home after their historic 10-day mission, with the crew expressing their gratitude and reflecting on their journey around the moon.
The four Artemis II astronauts, freshly back from a historic trip around the moon, flew back to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston Saturday to cheers and applause from family members and hundreds of space center workers who gathered to welcome them home.
The Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—returned to Houston after a nine-day mission that took them farther into space than any previous lunar crew, reaching 252,756 miles from Earth and capturing unprecedented views of the moon’s far side and a striking Earthset image.
The Artemis II astronauts were emotional—laughing, smiling and fighting back tears—as they attempted to convey how flying around the moon changed their lives and their perspectives of the world.
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