The Artemis II astronauts are readjusting to life on Earth after their historic mission across the moon.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
One week after the Artemis II crew returned from a visit across the moon and again, the 4 astronauts say they’re nonetheless making an attempt to course of the expertise. NPR’s Nell Greenfieldboyce stories.
NELL GREENFIELDBOYCE, BYLINE: NASA astronaut Victor Glover spent the final week making an attempt to keep away from the information and social media.
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VICTOR GLOVER: It is exhausting to stay in a bubble these days. I am making an attempt very exhausting.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: In a press briefing, he mentioned they did what they got down to do.
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GLOVER: And now we have to step out and simply face that actuality. And in order that’s an awesome factor. However I will determine it out tomorrow.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: His crewmate, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, mentioned they have been busy getting checked out by medical doctors, speaking about science with NASA specialists. So that they have not had time to replicate on their otherworldly journey. He mentioned though he isn’t notably spiritual, proper after their capsule splashed down within the Pacific, on the U.S. Navy ship that picked them up, he requested to talk with the chaplain.
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REID WISEMAN: And when that man walked in, I might by no means met him earlier than in my life, however I noticed the cross on his collar, and I simply – I broke down in tears. Like, it’s extremely exhausting to completely grasp what we simply went by means of.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: It wasn’t simply the surreal sights, just like the acquainted moon remodeling into one thing unusual, but additionally being so removed from Earth.
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WISEMAN: Whenever you look down at your show and also you see 212,000 miles, and the miles are rising, I imply, that – your consciousness is heightened the entire time.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: The astronaut from the Canadian area company, Jeremy Hansen, mentioned what stored grabbing his consideration throughout the journey was looking at vivid stars and getting this visceral sense of three-dimensional area.
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JEREMY HANSEN: That was thoughts blowing for me. And you then see the identical factor with the moon and the Earth. You are viewing them from this new perspective, however this attitude with, like, three-dimensional depth.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Having been so near the moon, NASA astronaut Christina Koch says she’s optimistic concerning the plan to land individuals on its floor and construct a moon base.
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CHRISTINA KOCH: Engaging in the close to unattainable is precisely what we do and what we simply confirmed that we are able to do.
GREENFIELDBOYCE: Earlier than anybody can set foot within the lunar mud, although, NASA wants a touchdown automobile. It has two in improvement. Subsequent yr, the company plans to check out one or each automobiles in low-Earth orbit with the hopes of touchdown astronauts on the moon as quickly as 2028. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR Information.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “INTERGALACTIC”)
BEASTIE BOYS: (Singing) Intergalactic, planetary. Planetary, intergalactic.
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