Artemis II Pilot Glover Praises God, Crew After Historic Moon Mission

Astronaut says experience was 'too big to be in one body' after returning from lunar orbit

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:53pm

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An abstract, highly structured painting in soft shades of blue, green, and gold, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals, conveying the complex forces and concepts of space exploration without any text or diagrams.The Artemis II crew's profound spiritual and personal connection to their historic lunar orbit mission is captured in this abstract, diagram-like painting.Houston Today

Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover spoke publicly for the first time since the crew's historic mission to the moon, praising God and expressing deep gratitude for the experience. Glover and his fellow crew members described the technical challenges and profound personal impact of traveling more than 200,000 miles from Earth, with Commander Reid Wiseman saying the bond formed between the four astronauts is unbreakable and that 'no one down here is ever going to know what the four of us just went through.'

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks the first time astronauts have traveled to lunar orbit since the Apollo program ended in the 1970s, representing a major milestone in the renewed push for human exploration of the moon. Glover's remarks highlight the spiritual and emotional dimensions of such an extraordinary achievement, as well as the immense sacrifices made by the astronauts and their families.

The details

During a public appearance in Houston, Glover thanked God and expressed gratitude for the 'challenge' of trying to describe the experience, saying 'it's too big to just be in one body.' The crew also spoke about the technical demands of the mission, with Wiseman noting the unbreakable bond formed between the four astronauts and the impact on their families being so far from home. Mission specialist Christina Koch described the evolution of her understanding of teamwork, while Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen highlighted the extensive support and training behind the mission.

  • The Artemis II crew returned safely to Earth on April 10, 2026.
  • The crew's first public remarks came on April 12, 2026 at Ellington Field in Houston.

The players

Victor Glover

Pilot of the Artemis II mission and the first Black astronaut assigned to a lunar mission.

Reid Wiseman

Commander of the Artemis II mission.

Christina Koch

Mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

Canadian Space Agency astronaut on the Artemis II crew.

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What they’re saying

“I wanted to thank God in public. And I want to thank God again, because even bigger than my challenge trying to describe what we went through, the gratitude of seeing what we saw, doing what we did and being with who I was with... it's too big to just be in one body.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

“We are bonded forever and no one down here is ever going to know what the four of us just went through. And it was the most special thing that will ever happen in my life.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Commander

“A crew is people, that is in it all the time, no matter what, that is willing to sacrifice silently for each other. A crew is inescapably, beautifully, dutifully linked.”

— Christina Koch, Artemis II Mission Specialist

“Gratitude for my family, gratitude for NASA, gratitude for the teams. I don't think people will really ever fully comprehend how well supported and trained we were.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is scheduled to participate in additional public events and media interviews in the coming weeks to share more details about their historic mission.

The takeaway

The emotional and spiritual reflections from the Artemis II astronauts underscore the profound human experience of traveling to the moon, highlighting the immense sacrifices, training, and teamwork required for such an extraordinary achievement in space exploration.