NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission Lifts Apollo Veterans' Spirits

JoAnn Morgan was the only woman in launch control when Apollo 11 made history in 1969, and she's spent over five decades waiting for this moment. At 85, she's determined to stay alive long enough to watch Artemis astronauts step foot on the moon again.

Morgan represents a dwindling group of Apollo veterans who helped send 12 Americans to the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972. Of the original 400,000 NASA workers from that era, so few remain that there won't even be a reunion to celebrate the upcoming Artemis II mission launching April 1.

Charlie Mars, 90, worked on Apollo's command and lunar modules and notices something missing from today's moon program. He says the original missions had an energy and passion that's harder to find now, though he's thrilled NASA is finally heading back.

The frustration among Apollo's survivors runs deep. Morgan is still angry that President Nixon canceled the final three Apollo missions due to budget cuts, ending humanity's moon visits in 1972. "I'm just trying to stay alive so I can see us actually get back and step foot on the moon," she said.

But there's genuine excitement too. John Tribe, 90, who managed spacecraft propulsion for Apollo, calls NASA's revised Artemis plan "a whole lot more sensible" under new administrator Jared Isaacman. The 43-year-old billionaire is accelerating launch schedules and adding safety tests to better match Apollo's pace.

Charlie Duke, one of only four surviving moonwalkers, walked on the lunar surface in 1972 at age 36. Now he points out that half the world's population wasn't even born during the Apollo era, including Isaacman himself.

Why This Inspires

This time around looks different in the best way. NASA's launch director is a woman, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson. The Artemis II crew includes Christina Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 consecutive days.

Morgan can't wait for that milestone. "It will be even greater when they actually have a woman who plants her boots on the moon," she said.

NASA plans a moon base costing $20 billion over seven years, complete with drones, rovers, and what officials promise will be "cool cameras" on everything to share the excitement. The immediate goal is beating China to the lunar surface, with the U.S. targeting 2028 and China aiming for 2030.

Duke believes the Apollo thrill will return once Artemis astronauts start landing at the south pole. "I think millions are going to be watching that," he said, adding with characteristic astronaut optimism, "I know I will if I'm still here."