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Artemis II pilot: 'We saw things no human has ever seen before; our brains can't process it'
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Artemis II pilot: 'We saw things no human has ever seen before; our brains can't process it'

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission observed and photographed the far side of the Moon, an area not visible from Earth.
  • The mission broke the distance record previously held by Apollo 13, venturing further into space than any humans before.
  • Upon returning, the crew underwent physical evaluations to monitor their adaptation to Earth's gravity after their deep space journey.

The Artemis II mission has returned to Earth after a groundbreaking journey to observe the far side of the Moon. Pilot Reid Wiseman described the experience as "magnificent" and "majestic," noting that the crew saw sights "no human has ever seen before."

The Earth looks like a small crescent moon out there. It's magnificent, I took a picture of it... a truly majestic view.

— Reid WisemanPilot Reid Wiseman's description of Earth as seen from space during the Artemis II mission.

During their mission, the astronauts aboard the Orion capsule ventured further into space than any humans in history, surpassing the 400,171-kilometer record set by Apollo 13 over fifty years ago. This deep space exploration allowed them to capture images of the Moon's hidden face, an area perpetually unseen from Earth.

We saw things no human has ever seen before, not even Apollo.

— Reid WisemanPilot Reid Wiseman reflecting on the unprecedented sights witnessed during the Artemis II mission.

While China had previously sent probes, Chang'e 4 in 2019 and Chang'e 6 in 2024, to this region, Artemis II marked a new milestone for human exploration. The mission's success was highlighted by the crew's return, with Mission Specialist Christina Koch expressing relief upon regaining communication with Earth, stating, "It's wonderful to hear from Earth again."

It's simply indescribable. No matter how much we look at it, our brain cannot process this image.

— Reid WisemanPilot Reid Wiseman's struggle to articulate the profound visual experience of deep space during the Artemis II mission.

The capsule splashed down off the coast of California, where NASA and U.S. military teams recovered the four astronauts. Their return to Earth, however, was not the immediate end of their duties, as they are now undergoing a series of physical assessments to monitor their adaptation to terrestrial conditions.

It's absolutely spectacular, surreal... there are no adjectives, I'm going to have to invent some new ones, there are no words to describe what we see through this window.

— Crew memberA crew member's reaction to the view during the Artemis II mission.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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