The Artemis II space mission is impactful for a myriad of reasons. The scientific advancements and historical achievements alone solidify its place as one of humanity’s most influential events of all time. But even though the astronauts were 252,756 miles from Earth at the furthest point of their journey, their impact always felt close to home. Even though we weren’t on the ship, we were still along for the ride — and all its powerful effects rippled through the entire world.
Incited scientific curiosity
Between the release of the widely beloved “Project Hail Mary” and the soon-after launch of Artemis II, there’s a lot of hype around science right now. Especially during a time when research funding is under threat, it’s exciting to see new passion and curiosity for scientific topics emerge. The intimate access to the Artemis II crew’s daily space routine, tours of their ship and in-depth explanations of the importance of their mission brought science to people that normally wouldn’t interact with it. It also provided an accessible opportunity to engage with high-level scientific research. Often, cutting-edge scientific discovery is barred behind a paywall. And even if you can get past that, there’s too much jargon and content for the average reader to sort through. However, through clips on social media that provided visual aids and accessible explanations, many people were able to interact with all aspects of the scientific process.
Taught us a little something about teamwork
Nobody likes a group project. But what’s even worse? A group science experiment. As someone who survived two organic chemistry labs, I can confirm its excruciating nature. However, the interviews and livestreams done by the Artemis II crew demonstrated the effectiveness of their teamwork even in an extremely high-stakes situation like space exploration. Their appreciation and for each person’s valuable contributions to their team and unwavering respect for one another, even in a high-stress situation like space exploration, was immensely inspiring. We could all stand to take a few pages out of their book next time we get thrust into a group project.
Gave us something to cheer for
Regardless of where you get your news, one thing stays constant — it’s pretty bleak. I genuinely think the Artemis II mission is the first time I’ve seen a hopeful, positive topic span across all major news outlets. It’s truly a feat to be appreciated. It’s impossible not to cheer for the crew of Artemis II and all the incredible work that went into making this mission possible, particularly for our proud Wolfpack.
Signified an array of historical firsts
Christina Koch, a mission specialist, is the first woman to venture beyond the Earth’s orbit (and also the first NC State grad to go to space — but certainly not the last!). Victor Glover, the pilot, is also the first Black astronaut to travel outside of Earth’s orbit. This historical first serves as inspiration for many different communities and as a reminder of all we can accomplish when we reach for the stars — literally and metaphorically.
Reminded us of our humanity
There is nothing that grounds me in the triviality of my problems like a photo of the Earth from space. We jumped and cheered when Artemis II took off and splashed down safely. We laughed with them as they cracked jokes aboard the ship. We cried with them when the crew named a moon crater “Carroll” in honor of Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. This journey took us through every feeling imaginable, and reminded us that we are defined not by our separation, but our shared experiences as members of humankind.
