Astronaut brings Eagles' Super Bowl confetti around the moon

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

When Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch went to the moon, she brought her love of the Philadelphia Eagles along for the ride. Koch posted photos to Instagram showing her Eagles fandom in space, including confetti from the team's Super Bowl 59 victory that she flew around the moon as a surprise for her husband, who introduced her to the team.

Why it matters

This gesture by Koch, an Eagles fan, highlights the enduring passion and pride that Philadelphia sports fans have for their teams, even extending to the highest reaches of space exploration. It also demonstrates how personal mementos and connections can be brought along on historic missions, creating a unique link between major life events on Earth and the groundbreaking achievements of space travel.

The details

In her Instagram post, Koch wrote: 'Going to the moon may have been my Super Bowl, but I sure loved watching yours. My husband introduced me to this team and city - gritty, hard-working and embodying the underdog mentality. Now I'm all in. As a surprise for him, I flew confetti from Super Bowl 59 around the moon.' The Artemis II mission successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean last week after a 10-day journey around the moon, during which the four-person crew, including Koch, traveled 695,081 miles and looped around the far side of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

• Artemis II successfully splashed down last week in the Pacific Ocean after a 10-day journey around the moon.
• The four-person crew, including Koch, traveled 695,081 miles and looped around the far side of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

What they’re saying

What’s next

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told ABC News that Artemis II is just the first step toward the goal of establishing a permanent base on the moon and eventually sending astronauts to Mars.