Whenever I heard any chatter, I would IMMEDIATELY stop what I was doing, run straight to my PC, and scope what’s happening. It was the greatest 10 days I’ve experienced in recent years. So where were you? Were you just as glued to it all as I was?

It was wonderful to see everyone posting about the launch, and the mission in general, to their social media. Shout out to all my Thriends! <3

Not gonna lie, I’m still super jealous of everyone that got to witness the launch in person. The moment those boosters ignited and Integrity took off, I instantly got shivers over my entire body. I even shed a tear or two.

The Greatest thing to happen to humanity

There have been many great moments throughout the history of humanity, like the invention of the wheel, the printing press, the industrial revolution, and buttered toast, but none quite like the Artemis II mission. Sure, Apollo 11 was great and all, but the impact it had on us regular folks probably wasn’t as massive as the impact made by Artemis II. It may come down to the fact I wasn’t even born then, but I feel like the true reason is that the entire mission was live streamed, right up to the news conference. Every detail was freely and readily accessible. Regardless of where we were, if we had internet, we could watch the progress in real-time. No edits, cuts, ads, en al daai ander kak. The fact they even went as far as giving us daily highlights was glorious.

The number of parents talking about their kids being glued to the screen during the mission has me wondering: are we finally witnessing the algorithm of our souls shifting away from 15 second trends and back to the infinite beauty of the cosmos? I certainly hope so, and I’m sure you do too.

I’d give you the world, but he gave her the moon

Arguably the greatest moment during the entire mission was the request to name a crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll. She may be among the stars now, but she’s become a part of Luna too. <3

The pure and raw emotion I felt seeing the team choke up and hug each other while requesting to name the crater after a passed loved one was indescribable. Ek het dit DIEP in my siel gevoel.

Now with Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Reid Wiseman (our Emotional Support Astronauts) back home, all I can think about is how deeply they made us mere terrestrials feel. The emotions the crew shared with one another, the bonds they formed, and the way they turned a mission in a tin can into a family road trip is nothing short of amaze. amaze. amaze. They’re probably my favourite humans ever. Right up there with Aurora, Ronaldinho, and the cashier at the garage that never judges me even when I walk in barefoot, looking like a blerrie ghoul.

Don’t hate me, but…

I feel like SpaceX and Blue Origin (hereinafter dubbed “those that shall not be named”) ruined the whole “space age” that many non-identifying astrophiles loved. But now with our emotional support crew back home, we once again have remembered the intimacy, beauty, and wonder of the universe. Those that shall not be named are simply seeking popularity and status, and are treating reaching the heavens as a landgrab IMO. They want to put a logo on the stars. Artemis wants to plant a flag for the rest of us. 10 minute suborbital joyrides? Focus on marketing and image? Nah fam. That’s not what we want. Investing almost 100 billion USD into a program that’s actually fokken taking us to the fokken moon? Fuck yeah! That’s exactly what we want!

Thank you to every single one of you that was involved in the research, development, training, and operation of the Artemis II mission. You guys made history and should be proud!

So, newly self-identifying astrophiles, are you here to stay? If you are, go ahead and check the James Webb Space Telescope out.