The Artemis II mission, which represents humanity’s return ticket to the Moon, is not only a technical success, but also the scene of deep emotional ruptures. Four astronauts, who crossed the dark side of the Moon and set out on their return route to Earth, shared their surprise at the view they saw from the windows of the Orion capsule.
“IT WAS BEYOND REALITY”
NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who became the first woman to see the lunar surface so closely, had difficulty choosing words to describe what she felt.
Describing the situation he experienced as “shattering”, Koch said, “It is impossible to describe the intense flood of emotions that filled me while looking at the moon. For a moment, I found myself completely in that view; everything was beyond reality.”
Koch emphasized that he was especially amazed by the brightness of the fresh craters, which shine on the surface like light leaking through a pinhole.
