Artemis II Crew Finds Gravity Strange After Moon Voyage

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Houston: Nearly a week after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, the four astronauts of NASA’s historic Artemis II mission said they are still adjusting to life back on Earth and have yet to fully absorb the significance of their journey.

Speaking at a press conference at NASA Johnson Space Center, mission commander Reid Wiseman said the past week had been filled with medical tests, physical evaluations and scientific follow-up work. “We have not had that decompression,” he said.

Wiseman led fellow Americans Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a mission that carried humans farther into space than ever before.

Pilot Victor Glover said he had deliberately stayed away from social media and news coverage since returning, adding that his children and neighbours had helped him understand the excitement surrounding the mission.

Artemis II was the first crewed mission to travel around the Moon since 1972 and the first such mission to include a woman, a Black astronaut and a non-American crew member.

The nearly 10-day voyage was broadcast live by NASA and followed by millions worldwide.

Koch said one of the strangest parts of returning was adjusting again to gravity. “In the first few days, I thought I was floating,” she said.

NASA hopes future Artemis missions will establish a long-term presence on the Moon as preparation for eventual human missions to Mars.

The United States is targeting another lunar landing in 2028, ahead of plans by China to send astronauts to the Moon.