Artemis II Astronauts Return, Emotional Statement: 'All Humanity is One'
Four astronauts from the Artemis II mission have completed their lunar orbit and are returning to Earth. They made valuable observations, including an 'Earthset' and a lunar eclipse. Astronaut Victor Glover delivered an emotional message, stating, 'All humanity is one.' NASA aims to return to the lunar surface by 2028 and establish a long-term lunar base before China.
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- 📰 Published: April 8, 2026 at 10:20
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Reuters reported that through high-definition photos, GoPro videos, and other images meticulously arranged by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), three American and one Canadian astronaut left an immediate and vivid record of the historic 10-day Artemis II mission.
Among the most striking was their capture of the breathtaking "Earthset" moment, when the Earth slowly sinks below the rugged lunar horizon.
This photo is clearly a tribute to the iconic "Earthrise" image from the 1968 Apollo 8 mission; this Apollo 8 image successfully ignited the public's boundless imagination during humanity's first lunar orbit.
According to AFP, the crew not only vividly described details of the lunar surface but also witnessed the spectacular solar eclipse as the Moon passed in front of the Sun, and even observed flashes of light on the lunar surface caused by meteorite impacts.
This afternoon, the astronauts were busy reporting to lunar scientists at the Houston Mission Control Center, meticulously recounting everything they had witnessed during nearly seven hours of observation.
Kelsey Young, Artemis II Mission Lunar Science Lead, told the crew: "Our entire science team and the broader scientific community are filled with positive feedback and gratitude for your achievements... Please know that what you did yesterday is truly scientifically significant."
The four-person team, consisting of American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, successfully orbited the Moon.
This is part of NASA's broader plan to pave the way for a return to the lunar surface as early as 2028, and to establish a long-term lunar base within the next decade, ahead of China, in preparation for the ambitious goal of exploring Mars.
In a message transmitted from space, astronaut Victor Glover captured a rare moment of global harmony.
He told Earth-bound viewers: "You look beautiful. And from here, you also look like one whole; we are all Homo sapiens. No matter where you come from or what you look like, we are all one."
After completing their lunar flight, the team has embarked on their return journey and is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California late on the 10th.
Late yesterday, the crew received congratulatory calls from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and US President Donald Trump.
Trump praised the astronauts as "modern pioneers" of "great courage" and said: "You truly inspired the whole world." (Edited by Li Peishan) 1150408
Among the most striking was their capture of the breathtaking "Earthset" moment, when the Earth slowly sinks below the rugged lunar horizon.
This photo is clearly a tribute to the iconic "Earthrise" image from the 1968 Apollo 8 mission; this Apollo 8 image successfully ignited the public's boundless imagination during humanity's first lunar orbit.
According to AFP, the crew not only vividly described details of the lunar surface but also witnessed the spectacular solar eclipse as the Moon passed in front of the Sun, and even observed flashes of light on the lunar surface caused by meteorite impacts.
This afternoon, the astronauts were busy reporting to lunar scientists at the Houston Mission Control Center, meticulously recounting everything they had witnessed during nearly seven hours of observation.
Kelsey Young, Artemis II Mission Lunar Science Lead, told the crew: "Our entire science team and the broader scientific community are filled with positive feedback and gratitude for your achievements... Please know that what you did yesterday is truly scientifically significant."
The four-person team, consisting of American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, successfully orbited the Moon.
This is part of NASA's broader plan to pave the way for a return to the lunar surface as early as 2028, and to establish a long-term lunar base within the next decade, ahead of China, in preparation for the ambitious goal of exploring Mars.
In a message transmitted from space, astronaut Victor Glover captured a rare moment of global harmony.
He told Earth-bound viewers: "You look beautiful. And from here, you also look like one whole; we are all Homo sapiens. No matter where you come from or what you look like, we are all one."
After completing their lunar flight, the team has embarked on their return journey and is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California late on the 10th.
Late yesterday, the crew received congratulatory calls from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and US President Donald Trump.
Trump praised the astronauts as "modern pioneers" of "great courage" and said: "You truly inspired the whole world." (Edited by Li Peishan) 1150408