April 14, 2026

Some people go through their "I want to be an astronaut" phase at age six. Others, who see being an astronaut as a tangible career goal, might feel that way in their mid to late thirties (the median age of NASA astronaut selection is 34 to 39) For me, this sentiment struck me last week (age twenty two.) "Give me some space!" is how I felt for this whole first half of April. My vibe was been inspired entirely by the Artemis II mission. Artemis II launched April 1, 2026 and made history as the first crewed mission to lunar space since 1972. This crew, including the first woman (Christina Koch) and first person of color (Victor Glover) to travel beyond low Earth orbit, broke the record for the farthest human spaceflight away from Earth. Thanks to the progression of technology since the last lunar mission, we received otherworldly pictures of braids in space, a moon with bright colors, and the beautiful Earth against an infinity of nothingness. Enthralled by their mission, I spent last week venturing across the galaxies of public space media and information. I learned: - There are ten people total in space right now. - The ISS orbits Earth every 90–93 minutes, resulting in 16 sunrises and sunsets daily. - Astronauts use specialized vacuum toilets that use airflow instead of water to collect waste. As a necessary part of my journey through space, I watched Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks and learned what I could about the other failed missions. I investigated the Moon landing conspiracy theories. I researched NASA's longterm plans for future space exploration. (I, then, shared all of this with my esthetician) So, when the mission commenced last Friday with a perfect splash landing in the pacific, I was sat in front of my TV for all three hours of the stream. Alls this to say, I spent a lot of time last week envisioning space, the enormity of the universe, and the magic of perspective. When the Artemis II crew gave their return interviews, they talked about their bond, how breathtaking of an experience their mission was, but above all, how important unity is for us humans, together, down here on Earth. "This is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are and that we are the same thing" - Victor Glover I know this mission was inspiring for many people, not just six year olds, not just 34-39 year olds, and not just me. It was a reminder of how glorious our planet is, how necessary it is we protect it, and how we, humankind, are all in this together. We can stand up and jump, but can't float away from here if we tried. Gravity is a force that pulls all of us to Earth and Earth to us, and there is something both extraordinary and simple in that.