From Liftoff to Splashdown: My Journey Covering NASA’s Historic Lunar Mission

For ten days, four astronauts have etched their names into history, venturing further into the cosmos than any humans have before as they traveled to the Moon and returned. I have tracked every phase of the Artemis II mission, from the initial ignition to their close lunar flyby and the tense final descent. Prior to launch, the crew remarked that astronauts are typically the most composed individuals on launch day. I, however, was an exception.

The physical impact of the launch is overwhelming. My inability to contain my excitement led to a reaction that went viral as the rocket’s massive boosters and engines fired, propelling the vehicle skyward. Standing near the countdown clock at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, accompanied by my BBC News science colleagues Alison Francis and Kevin Church, was an intensely visceral experience. The scene was dominated by an blinding white brilliance that held your gaze, a deafening roar that seemed to lag behind the visual of the ascent, and a shockwave of force that resonated through your body. Above all, it was difficult to comprehend that four people were secured in their seats at the apex of a 98-meter-tall rocket, bound for the Moon.

As Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen gained their first perspective of Earth from orbit, Glover addressed the planet: "Planet Earth, you look beautiful." Following a burn of the spacecraft’s main engine, they departed on their journey of roughly 250,000 miles to the lunar surface.

As the crew adjusted to microgravity, live footage was transmitted from inside their capsule, immediately revealing how confined their living quarters were. The astronauts lived, worked, ate, and slept in an area comparable to the size of a minibus. There was no privacy from one another, nor from the millions of global viewers monitoring their every move. Significant focus was placed on their Universal Waste Management System, colloquially known as the toilet. The $23 million toilet system experienced plumbing issues, prompting intimate details during media briefings regarding the status of the crew’s "number ones and number twos." For those curious: "number twos" proceeded as normal, while "number ones" required the use of collapsible contingency urine devices—essentially bags equipped with funnels.

Inside Mission Control

At the Johnson Space Center in Houston, we had access to mission control, the operational hub for the entire endeavor. The team, fixed intently on screens flooded with data, monitored all spacecraft systems, ranging from navigation to life support. This oversight was critical, as this was a test flight—the first time humans had flown on both the new rocket and the spacecraft. Test flights inherently carry substantial risks.

This reality was underscored in a conversation with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen for the BBC’s 13 Minutes Artemis II podcast, recorded while he was in quarantine before the launch. He revealed that he had discussed the possibility of not returning with his wife and three children. Similarly, Reid Wiseman admitted to having frank discussions with his two daughters about the dangers of the mission. Wiseman, a single father who raised his children after his wife passed away six years prior, experienced one of the mission’s most moving moments.

The Carroll Crater

As the crew approached their destination and the Moon expanded in their view, new features emerged on the lunar surface. They designated a crater—a bright spot visible from Earth—as "Carroll," honoring Reid’s late wife. The crew, overcome with emotion, gathered to hug their commander and friend. Back in Houston, mission control was equally moved; there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, including among the BBC team members. Every individual we spoke with at NASA, from its leadership down, shared in the profound nature of the moment.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-04-11 23:17:07 UTC