Artemis II astronauts speak for the first time after returning to Earth: 'We are bonded forever'

The Artemis II astronauts were shown in public for the first time since their return to Earth. Just a day after landing, they gave a press conference from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Johnson Space Center, based in Houston, where they received a standing ovation from attendees.

Aboard the spacecraft, an Orion spacecraft, traveled four astronauts: Reid Wiseman, mission commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Jeremy Hansen, Canada representative.

Aboard the spacecraft, an Orion, four astronauts traveled: Reid Wiseman, the mission commander; Victor Glover, the pilot; Christina Koch, a mission specialist; and Jeremy Hansen, a representative from Canada.

The mission consisted of a 10-day journey in which the astronauts first escaped Earth's gravity and then flew to the Moon, overflying it without landing. It was the first crewed flight of the Artemis program, marking the return of astronauts to the Moon's environment after more than 50 years. The launch took place April 1 at Kennedy Space Center, while the landing took place Friday near the coast of San Diego, California, in the Pacific Ocean.

At the press conference, the first to speak was Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, who praised the astronauts: "We often say we stand on the shoulders of giants. After seeing them return from this mission, I have to say, their shoulders now seem even broader for the next generation to stand on."

Wiseman, the mission commander, then took the floor: "I have absolutely no idea what to say," he initially joked, before giving the following message to his teammates, "We are united forever."

"No one else down here is ever going to know what the four of us just went through. It is the most special thing that will ever happen in my life," he continued.

He also reflected on the days they spent traveling, highlighting the role of each astronaut's family: "No one knows what the families went through. Being 200,000 miles away from home. Before you launch, it feels like the greatest dream on Earth, and when you're out there, you just want to get back to your family and your friends."

"It is a special thing to be a human, and it is a special thing to be on planet Earth," concluded Wiseman, who said goodbye after an emotional hug with his team.