Artemis II Crew in High Spirits on Journey Around the Moon

For the first time since 1972, humans are heading beyond Earth's orbit, and the four astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission are thriving on their historic journey.

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch are now three days into their 10-day trip around the moon. NASA officials reported Friday that the crew is "in great spirits" and excited about the groundbreaking opportunity.

"They are really excited about the opportunity to be there," said Lakiesha Hawkins, acting deputy associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. "There's a lot of fun things going on, in addition to a lot of hard work."

The mission is already exceeding expectations. Thursday's translunar injection burn went so perfectly that Houston Mission Control canceled a planned correction burn for Friday night. The spacecraft is right on target for the lunar far side.

"It was really great to wake up this morning and look out the window and see the full moon off the front of the vehicle," Wiseman shared on NASA's livestream. "There's no doubt where we are heading right now."

Friday's schedule balanced hard work with well-deserved rest. The crew exercised on the capsule's flywheel machine, enjoyed meals, and video-called their families back home. They also completed zero-gravity CPR training to stay prepared for any emergency.

The real excitement comes Monday during a planned six-hour science observation period. The astronauts will photograph and study about 20 percent of the moon's far side, including features never before seen by human eyes. These include the full Orientale Basin, Pierazzo Crater, and Ohm Crater from just 4,000 miles away.

Why This Inspires

This mission represents more than technological achievement. It shows what's possible when we dream big and work together toward ambitious goals. The crew's enthusiasm reminds us that exploration still captures the human spirit, just as it did during the Apollo era.

Flight director Judd Frieling noted that human observation beats even the best telephoto lens. "Human eyes can resolve details much better than taking a picture and then looking at the picture," he explained.

After five decades, humanity is once again reaching for the moon, and the journey is just beginning.