Artemis II Astronauts Bring Much-Needed Wholesome Content to the Internet
The current state of the world leaves much to be desired, and the reasons are so numerous and disheartening that listing them would take ages and likely bore everyone. What we really need right now is some uplifting, wholesome content to brighten our days. Enter the Artemis NASA crew, currently on an incredible journey around the moon, delivering some truly heartwarming moments for us Earthlings to enjoy.
Launched on April 1, the Artemis II mission is taking astronauts farther into space than ever before, with a close flyby of the moon on the agenda. The crew is set to return to Earth on April 11, but until then, they’ve been sharing the kind of feel-good content that used to be more common online, before the internet became a battleground for creators chasing clicks through outrage. It seems the key to reviving good vibes online was simply sending people into space!
One of the most poignant moments of the Artemis mission occurred on April 6, when the crew contacted NASA to announce the names of two newly discovered lunar craters. The first was named Integrity, after their spacecraft, but the second held a deeper significance.
“And the second one is especially meaningful for this crew,” said Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. “Years ago, we began this journey as a close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one. There’s a feature in a remarkable spot on the moon, located on the nearside-far side boundary… At certain times during the moon’s orbit, we’ll be able to see it from Earth. We lost a loved one named Carroll, the spouse of Reid [Weisman] and mother to Katie and Ellie… It’s a bright spot on the moon, and we’d like to call it Carroll.”
As he spoke, the crew became visibly emotional, culminating in a heartfelt zero-gravity group hug.
In a lighter moment on the same day, as the crew approached the point where they would surpass the distance traveled by Apollo 13 in the ’70s, a jar of Nutella made a daring escape from its storage during a live stream. Viewers quickly noticed the rogue jar and took to social media to share the amusing incident. I can only imagine how thrilled Nutella’s marketing team must be about this unexpected publicity.
On another livestream, astronaut Christina Koch took a break to discuss the crew’s menu during their lunar adventure. It turns out they’re mostly eating dehydrated meals packed in plastic bags, making that Nutella seem like a gourmet treat in comparison.
Never let anyone tell you that scientists and engineers lack personality. The Artemis crew proved otherwise by recreating a cheesy ’80s sitcom intro in space, bringing a delightful and cozy vibe to their mission. This fun moment likely provided a much-needed break from the challenges of living in a cramped spacecraft for an extended period.
A NASA tradition continued on April 5, when the Artemis crew celebrated Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s first spaceflight by awarding him a gold pin. Astronauts receive a silver pin upon completing their training, but they must wait until they reach space to earn the coveted gold upgrade.
On April 6, the crew received a surprise message from Jim Lovell, the Apollo 8 pilot and commander of the Apollo 13 mission, recorded before his passing in 2025.
“Hello, Artemis II! This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood,” he said. “When Frank Borman, Bill Anders, and I orbited the moon on Apollo 8, we provided humanity’s first close-up look at the moon and a view of our home planet that inspired and united people worldwide. I’m proud to pass that torch to you — as you swing around the moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars, for the benefit of all. It’s a historic day, and I know you’ll be busy. But don’t forget to enjoy the view. So, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, and all the fantastic teams supporting you — good luck and Godspeed from all of us here on Earth.”
