Goddard Space Flight Center hosts watch party for historic Artemis II launch

Baltimore native Reid Wiseman commands the mission, which has deep ties to Maryland

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:04am

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For the first time in more than 50 years, astronauts are on their way to the moon, and the historic Artemis II launch has deep ties to Maryland, sparking local excitement. Goddard Space Flight Center in Prince George's County hosted a watch party, where scientists and the next generation of aspiring space explorers gathered to witness the momentous event.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks a significant milestone in space exploration, with the first crewed flight around the Moon since the Apollo program. Goddard Space Flight Center played a crucial role in enabling this mission, monitoring the sun to ensure safe passage for the astronauts. The event has generated immense local pride and excitement, especially for the next generation of scientists and engineers.

The details

Baltimore native Reid Wiseman is the mission commander for Artemis II, and scientists at Goddard Space Flight Center in Prince George's County played a vital role in the mission. Dr. Alex Young, a heliophysicist at Goddard, said his team monitored the sun to ensure it was safe for the astronauts to travel around the Moon and back. The watch party at Goddard allowed attendees to experience the excitement and anticipation leading up to the launch, with activities like trying on astronaut gloves and learning about the mission.

  • The Artemis II launch took place on April 2, 2026.
  • Goddard Space Flight Center has been monitoring the sun since the mission was announced to ensure safe passage for the astronauts.

The players

Reid Wiseman

A Baltimore native and the mission commander for the Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the Moon since the Apollo program.

Dr. Alex Young

A heliophysicist at Goddard Space Flight Center who led a team that monitored the sun to ensure safe passage for the Artemis II astronauts.

Christina Koch

An engineer who previously worked at Goddard Space Flight Center and is now an astronaut.

Caleb Rigler

A 12-year-old aspiring scientist who attended the Goddard watch party to witness the historic Artemis II launch.

Janelle Rigler

Caleb Rigler's mother, who expressed excitement about the history being made in the local area.

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What they’re saying

“It's really thrilling and exciting; it's sort of like being a kid, getting a chance to be a part of that.”

— Dr. Alex Young, Heliophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center

“The Artemis II program is going to be bringing a lot of excitement, technology, these are going to be the opportunities for the next generation of engineers.”

— Dr. Alex Young, Heliophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center

“It was so thrilling, it's kind of hard to explain how it makes you feel to see that go up, just awesome.”

— Ethelene Duster

“The people that go into building them, the engineering, the design, all of the things.”

— Caleb Rigler, 12-year-old aspiring scientist

What’s next

The successful Artemis II launch clears the way for the next phase of the Artemis program, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024.

The takeaway

The Artemis II launch has generated immense local pride and excitement in Maryland, where Goddard Space Flight Center played a crucial role in enabling the mission. This historic event has sparked the imagination of the next generation of scientists and engineers, who will be the ones to witness the next great steps in space exploration.