Artemis II Astronaut Shares Easter Message from Deep Space

Hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth, astronaut Victor Glover paused to share what he could see that most of us can't: our planet as one precious home in an empty universe.

Glover, piloting the historic Artemis II mission to the moon, spoke with CBS News Saturday about celebrating Easter in deep space. His response became an unexpected reminder of what makes Earth special.

"I can really see the Earth as one thing," Glover said from the spacecraft. "You're on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe and the cosmos."

The astronaut marveled at the contrast between Earth's vibrancy and the vast emptiness surrounding it. Looking back at our blue planet from the moon's orbit, he emphasized how precious human life truly is.

"In all of this emptiness, this thing we call the universe, you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together," Glover told viewers. He reminded people on Earth that they're just as special as the astronauts traveling through space.

The Artemis II crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They're making humanity's first journey to the moon since 1972, following a similar path to Apollo 13.

On Easter Sunday, the crew sent additional greetings revealing their creative celebration. They hid dehydrated scrambled eggs around the cabin as their version of an Easter egg hunt.

Why This Inspires

Glover's message transcended religion and borders. He spoke about shared responsibility for unity, regardless of belief systems, calling the holiday "an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing."

Hansen echoed this sentiment, emphasizing love as a universal value that connects all cultures. Koch noted that many religions and cultures hold this season dear, making it the perfect time for reflection on our common humanity.

From their unique vantage point, the Artemis II crew can see what political borders and daily conflicts often hide: we're all traveling together on one remarkable spacecraft through the universe. That perspective, Glover suggested, should inspire us to protect and cherish both our planet and each other.