On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, declared his accomplishments as: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This famous quote has set a foundation for our current exploration to the moon. During the Cold War against the Soviet Union, President John F. Kennedy encouraged the launch of Apollo 11 to stay ahead of our opponents. This mission was led by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. The goal was to land on the moon and then return to Earth. Apollo 11 set up the basis of space exploration as scientists began to open doors towards moon landings.
With the hope of human travel to Mars, NASA launched Artemis I on November 16, 2022. This was an uncrewed shuttle that tested the ability of the spacecraft to ensure the safety of the astronauts in Artemis II.
Recently, there has been a lot of attention in the media regarding the Artemis II mission. This was NASA’s first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17. The crew consisted of four extremely well-equipped astronauts.
The Commander, Reid Weisman, was raised in Baltimore but went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He is a single dad to two daughters after the tragic passing of his wife, Caroll. He went on to John Hopkins, where he received his Master of Science in Systems Engineering.
The pilot, Victor K. Glover, has a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from California Polytechnic State and a master’s in flight test engineering from Air University and Edwards Air Force Base.
The mission specialist, Christina Koch, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Physics from North Carolina State University.
Lastly, the other mission Specialist, Jeremy Hansen, earned his Bachelor of Science in Space Science and Master of Science in Physics from the Royal Military College of Canada.
All of these crew members helped keep the Orion spacecraft afloat as they made their way to the moon. The path to the moon was in the shape of a figure eight as the spacecraft orbited Earth to help propel it forward to the moon. It then circled around the moon before its return to Earth. This allowed for the testing of the Orion spacecraft, making sure it was ready for more advanced missions.
Astronomy and physics teacher, David Dahari, gave insight into the Artemis II mission. He discussed the buzz and excitement that he saw around the school, and that, in addition to the astronomy club sending out updates on the mission, he was receiving questions from staff and students as well. Mr. Dahari has incorporated the Artemis II mission into his physics and astronomy classes as well. What he finds so beautiful about this historical event is that it “provides a sense of hope.” Specifically, regarding these missions, he says, “You spend money on it today and in 10-20 years you have a result, and that reminds us that we have a future. If we can tackle these seemingly impossible problems like going to the moon, then it proves that we can tackle other difficult problems on earth.”
The common theme throughout all space exploration missions is the advancement of humanity. We might be separated by borders on earth, but in space, we are all connected through humanity.
Sources:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Apollo 11.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/mission/apollo-11/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
—. “Artemis I.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-i/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
—. “Artemis II.” NASA, www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
“Transcript of the First Moon Landing.” American Philosophical Society, www.amphilsoc.org/item-detail/transcript-first-moon-landing. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
