Artemis II Crew Shares Awe-Inspiring Re-entry and Lunar Discoveries The Artemis II astronauts recount their breathtaking journey into space, detailing the intense re-entry experience and their surprising observations of the Moon upon returning to Earth. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen describe the emotional highs and profound moments of their historic mission. The Artemis II astronauts, a remarkably grounded quartet, have returned to Earth after their groundbreaking 10-day mission, venturing further into space than any humans before to witness the far side of the Moon. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen shared their profound awe and unique perspectives upon their return. During an interview that aired on TODAY on April 17th with Al Roker, Glover described the intense experience of re-entry. "I will say it was just a very intense moment, because we had never seen or felt this before," he recounted. He vividly recalled the moment the spacecraft's interior lights were dimmed, allowing the crew to witness the fiery spectacle of their capsule entering Earth's atmosphere. "So I could tell that we were inside a fireball. But Reid and I had panoramic views," Glover stated, emphasizing the visual intensity of the descent. Commander Wiseman corroborated this, adding, "We really did." Glover then expressed his initial surprise at the sheer scale of the phenomenon, asking, "And the very first thing I thought was, ‘Is it supposed to be that big?’ And it was a lot of fire out there." This intense display was the plasma engulfing their capsule as it hurtled towards Earth at nearly 25,000 miles per hour before the final parachute deployment and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The relief and joy that followed were palpable. "That was when the unfettered joy began for me," Glover shared. He admitted that while he is often focused and perhaps perceived as a bit of a curmudgeon during missions, the experience of returning home unlocked a profound sense of excitement. "People ask us if we’re excited. And, you know, they know I’m kind of the curmudgeon that’s like, ‘No, I’m focused.’ But I think at some point I reached over and said, ‘Hey, guess what? Now I’m excited,’” he elaborated, sharing a celebratory high five with Wiseman. The return also brought the immeasurable comfort of reconnecting with loved ones. Wiseman shared a touching moment: "I wasn’t on the ship for five minutes, and I was talking to my older daughter, who had me on speakerphone." He reflected on the profound significance of this reunion, stating, "What an amazing thing to get to connect. And for them and for me, like we are home, we are safe on Earth, and we’ll see you tomorrow. What a crazy thing to get to tell your family after you just came back from the moon." Beyond the reentry and homecoming, the crew also revealed what most surprised them during their deep space journey. Christina Koch was particularly struck by her first glimpse of the far side of the Moon. "What surprised me was when we saw the moon as we were getting close, and we saw part of the near side and part of the far side. And the moon still looked pretty much like it looks in the night sky, but it wasn’t the same shapes,” she explained. She emphasized the subtle yet significant visual difference: "It looked different. And it was the first real evidence that we were somewhere completely different than where we had started." Koch also expressed deep satisfaction in fulfilling the mission objectives. "Everything is better when you’re floating. It just felt like we were buzzing with productivity, with getting the mission done, with doing everything we knew we came there to do, and we were finally doing it," she concluded, highlighting the rewarding feeling of accomplishing their ambitious goals. The mission, a testament to human endurance and scientific endeavor, has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the Artemis II crew, offering unparalleled insights into our celestial neighbor and the vastness of space