NASA's Artemis II mission, the first trip by astronauts to the Moon in more than half a century, captured the attention of Americans of all generations and political affiliations, bringing a sense of shared admiration, hope, and pride to a nation torn by partisan divisions and war.
From numerous gatherings to watch the rocket launch and special school classes on space, to an increase in visits to planetariums and a surge in sales of NASA and Artemis-themed clothing, there are numerous indicators of the public's fascination with the four-member crew that flew to the far side of the moon, Reuters writes.
The 10-day mission, a key dress rehearsal for a planned attempt later this decade to land astronauts on the moon again, the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in late 1972, is set to conclude today with the splashdown of the Artemis II crew capsule in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
Reuters reports that the public and media will likely closely follow the astronauts' return to Earth as well as the launch on April 1, when their Orion capsule lifted off atop a powerful Space Launch System rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
"Everyone can be excited about people pushing the boundaries of their capabilities, learning new things, and doing it in a positive, peaceful way," said Gaza Gjik, senior astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, where, he said, hundreds of visitors came to watch the Artemis launch and learn more about the mission.
Domestic enthusiasm for Artemis, the successor to NASA's Cold War-era Apollo program of the 1960s and 1970s, is also reflected in the results of public opinion polls.
About 69 percent of Americans say they are excited about space exploration, while nearly 80 percent have a positive view of NASA, including a large majority of both Republicans and Democrats, according to a three-day Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted during the Artemis II mission. Also, 69 percent of respondents think it is important to return astronauts to the Moon.
As with the Apollo program, NASA's latest ambitions for the Moon are unfolding during a period of political and social turmoil, including a military conflict with Iran that lacks widespread support in the United States.
That turmoil partly explains Artemis' appeal both as a welcome respite from the tedious political reporting that many find disturbing, and as a testament to America's scientific and technological achievements, according to Reuters.
Spacesuits and socks
Riding the wave of excitement surrounding the Moon mission, retailers and independent creators offered Artemis-related products, from officially licensed NASA apparel to unique accessories inspired by the mission.
Rock 'Em Socks sold Artemis II socks for $14,99, featuring the SLS rocket against a starry night sky.
NASA offered a variety of Artemis-themed products, including a baseball cap with the words "I AM ARTEMIS," a mission badge, a women's bomber jacket, and playing cards.
On the e-commerce platform Etsy, space enthusiasts could buy Artemis II-themed pendants, posters and canvas art, as well as custom-made 3D-printed dangle earrings for $135, inspired by the teardrop-shaped Orion capsule.
In the Philadelphia suburb of Elkins Park, astronomy enthusiast Hector Aibe (38) gathered about 225 people, including families with children, for an Artemis launch party last week.
“Everyone forgot what was going on in the world around them for two hours, everyone was talking about space,” he said, adding that the participants came from diverse ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds.
Younger children, dressed in astronaut costumes, enthusiastically watched the launch, while the older generation remembered the first moon landing in 1969.
Scenes of togetherness
The mission offered a counterbalance to the belief among many Americans that fact-based science is under attack, or that technology - like artificial intelligence and social media - cannot be trusted, or even should be feared.
Gjik pointed to new images of Earth taken from space by the Artemis crew, which show oceans and land masses without borders, as a reminder of humanity's togetherness.
“It kind of helps people realize that we're all in this together,” he said.
Teachers across the country are incorporating the Artemis mission into their lesson plans.
At the STEM Lab Public School in Northglenn, Colorado, engineering teacher Erin Brabant decorated the hallway with posters of the SLS rocket, astronauts, and a mission timeline, and tasked students with building models of their own lunar lander.
“When we talk about Artemis, it’s like every kid stops doing what they were doing,” Brabant said. “Their little side conversations quiet down and they start asking questions.”
The diversity of the Artemis crew — pilot Victor Glover, the first black astronaut on such a mission, and mission specialist Christina Koch, the first woman ever sent to the moon — also inspired children of color and girls who might want to pursue engineering, Brabant said.
Last week in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, 15 Girl Scouts ages five to 11 watched the launch live at their group meeting.
While preparing presentations about famous Girl Scouts for Women's History Month, the launch drew their attention to Koch, who was herself a Girl Scout, said group leader Heather Willard.
"All the girls were mesmerized," Willard said.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
