The crew of four carried out the furthest manned space flight in history, traveling beyond the far side of the Moon and returning safely to Earth after 10 intense, demanding and inspiring days.
In that short time, as noted during the event, they “captured the imagination of billions” and rekindled a sense of shared human participation in space exploration.
Tradition and continuity
The General Assembly Building has long hosted pioneers of the space age, starting with Soviet cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova, the first man and first woman in space.
His October 1963 visit symbolized not only technological progress but also the idea that the cosmos is a realm where humanity can be united.
Since then, representatives of many nations have repeatedly addressed the international community, emphasizing that space exploration is impossible without cooperation and shared responsibility.
The first man and woman in space, Soviet cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin (right) and Valentina Tereshkova (left), were invited by United Nations Secretary-General U Thant (center) at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Artemis II continues that legacy. The mission represents not only a technological advance but also a model of international partnership, involving multiple countries and institutions, including the European Space Agency, with scientific instruments and systems developed by specialists from around the world.
“I had a chance to talk to everyone on the way here; I’m talking about these three pretty normal but very high-achieving Americans and one Canadian,” said U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz, who hosted the afternoon discussion in front of an invited audience of earthlings excited about the astronauts.
The crew stressed that their task was not only to test a spacecraft, but also to remind people on the ground that humanity can achieve great things when it works together.
Earth from deep space
For all the astronauts, the most powerful experience was seeing Earth from deep space.
Hundreds of thousands of miles away, the planet appeared small, fragile, almost weightless against the vast darkness, an image that underscored both the uniqueness of Earth and the rarity of life itself.
“I always felt compelled to be grateful for what we were seeing and what we would eventually return to,” said pilot Victor Glover.
Astronaut Christina Koch described a sudden awareness of the scale of humanity within the limitless universe.
“You realize that there is actually nothing absolute or guaranteed about this, and that there is actually a global scale… this scale is our world and what we do with it is our choice.”
Artemis II astronauts give a thumbs up on their trip to the Moon.
life on board
Life inside the spaceship was very demanding. The crew had to balance experiments, navigation, system monitoring and constant adaptation to microgravity.
“One day, I was opening some granola with berries. Victor was floating next to me, and just as I tore the package, he went too fast and sent things flying across the spaceship, like they were splashing on his shirt.
“And he says, ‘Oh, don’t worry, I’ve got it.’ And he takes a spoon and starts eating it out of his shirt,” recalled Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The Earth rises behind the Moon as shown in the Artemis II mission.
A return to the Moon
Artemis II is just the beginning of a broader effort. The program aims to return humans to the Moon, establish a sustained presence on its surface, and build infrastructure (including a lunar base) to support long-term exploration. These plans are based on the Artemis Accords, a set of international principles already supported by dozens of countries.
Speaking from the UN platform, the astronauts also addressed young people, encouraging them not to be afraid to ask questions and to listen carefully to the answers.
In closing, the crew emphasized that Artemis II was not measured only by distance or technological achievements.
Space offers a perspective that allows us to see the Earth as it really is: unique, shared, in need of care and capable of uniting people.
“Everyone asks what Earth looks like from space, and most of the time I answer that little Earth is an amazing place,” Reid Wiseman concluded.
Reaching for the stars
Meanwhile, a NASA aerospace engineer who grew up in Tanzania dreaming of being an astronaut used to think it was virtually impossible.
Today, Alinda Mashiku is a program manager at the US space agency, where she helps ensure satellites avoid collisions in orbit, contributing to the safety and sustainability of pioneering space missions like Artemis II.
In this interview we recorded a few days ago, Ms. Mashiku told us how she encourages girls to reach for the stars: