Artemis II Astronauts Speak During Historic Lunar Mission

**Excerpt:** The Artemis II crew is set to make history by flying around the Moon, marking a significant step in human space exploration.

Key Points:

– The Artemis II mission will take astronauts farther from Earth than ever before.
– The crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
– The spacecraft is currently approximately 180,000 miles from Earth.
– The mission aims to pave the way for future lunar exploration and potential Mars missions.
– This lunar flyby represents a pivotal moment in NASA’s Artemis program.

Artemis II Mission Overview

On Monday, astronauts aboard the Artemis II spacecraft are scheduled to loop around the Moon’s far side. This mission is poised to take humans farther from Earth than has ever been achieved before.

Astronaut Interviews

Correspondent Mark Strassmann conducted interviews with the Artemis II crew, which includes:

– **Commander Reid Wiseman**
– **Pilot Victor Glover**
– **Mission Specialist Christina Koch**
– **Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen**

As they approached their lunar flyby, the crew was approximately 180,000 miles from home, preparing for this historic event.

Significance of the Mission

The Artemis II mission is a crucial step in NASA’s larger Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon and ultimately prepare for future missions to Mars. This flyby will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the spacecraft but also gather valuable data for subsequent missions.