Jan Šimeček

Chinese crested dog...😀

Rise and shine, space fans! The official Artemis II wake‑up song playlist is here: open.spotify.com/user/nasaspoti… Stay tuned to find out the crew’s picks for the rest of the mission.

:Before stepping aboard the most powerful rocket ever built, Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman took his two daughters, Ellie and Katherine, for a quiet walk — and had one of the hardest conversations any parent can face.He spoke openly about his will, the trust documents, and the practical steps they would need to take if he didn’t come home. It was a moment of raw honesty, preparing his teenage girls for the worst-case scenario on a mission that would carry him farther from Earth than any human had ever traveled.Since losing his wife, Carroll, to cancer in 2020, Wiseman has raised Ellie and Katherine as a single father while training for NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years. Through it all, he has approached both fatherhood and his astronaut duties with the same quiet strength and transparency.Just before launch, he shared a heartfelt selfie with his daughters in front of the towering SLS rocket at Launch Pad 39B. His caption captured the mix of pride and love: “Dad, we can’t leave the rocket without a .5 together!! I love these two ladies, and I’m boarding that rocket a very proud father.”At 50 years old, Wiseman became the first commander of a lunar mission since Gene Cernan on Apollo 17 — and the oldest person ever to travel beyond low Earth orbit. His daughters watched with pride as their father lifted off toward the Moon on April 1, 2026.This deeply human story reminds us that behind every historic achievement lies profound personal sacrifice. Reid Wiseman’s courage — as both a dedicated father and a pioneering astronaut — beautifully embodies love, resilience, and the unbreakable human spirit that continues to reach for the stars.

Be Reid Wiseman He’s a hardworking single father of two girls whose wife passed from cancer 6 years ago, and his daughters supported his becoming one of the farthest-travelled human beings in history as Artemis II mission commander This man is a great example for fathers

🚀 LIVE FROM SPACE: President Donald J. Trump Calls Artemis II Astronauts After Breaking the Farthest Distance Record in Human Spaceflight 🇺🇸 HISTORIC! "Your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon."

Artemis II is now entering a solar eclipse that will last for about an hour as Orion, the Moon and the Sun align. During this phase, the crew will see the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon.

NASA Artemis passing close to the Moon

The Artemis II crew just named a crater “Carroll” after Reid Wiseman’s wife Carroll, who was a nurse and died May 17, 2020 at the age of 46 after a five-year battle with cancer. The two of them are pictured here with their two daughters Ellie and Katherine.

Make new friends, but keep the old. A new photo captures the Moon's near side on the right (the side we see from Earth, identifiable by its dark splotches) and its far side on the left. The Artemis II crew are the first to see the far side with human eyes.

No days off when you’re Moonbound. @Astro_Christina continues prep for tomorrow’s lunar flyby after completing her workout. Meanwhile, our entire world watches in anticipation with hope and excitement as the @NASAArtemis II crew presses on toward the Moon.

One last look at Earth before we reach the Moon. This view of the Earth was captured on April 5, the fourth day of the Artemis II mission, from inside the Orion spacecraft. The four astronauts will reach their closest approach of the Moon tomorrow, April 6.

@polar_andy_cz rajce.idnes.cz/photojs/album/…

🥹 Charlie Duke z Apolla 16 dnes pozdravil Artemis II 🩷.

"Thanks to you and to the whole team on the ground for building on our Apollo legacy with Artemis." In addition to a wake-up song this morning, the Artemis II astronauts were treated to an audio message from Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke.

The world stopped to watch Artemis II. Moments like this remind us what is possible and inspire the next generation to dream bigger and take us even further. We are just getting started on this grand adventure. It is time to start believing again.

Thanks to our @NASAArtemis II astronauts for working on the weekend! The fourth day of their mission brought more crew preparations for Monday's trip around the Moon and stunning new images from their vantage point. What views are you most excited to see?

Second man to walk on the moon Buzz Aldrin, 96, 'absolutely amazed' by Artemis II mission - and is now calling for NASA to 'occupy Mars' trib.al/UdUCOzf

Lock in, we’re Moonbound. Artemis II astronauts are more than halfway to their destination, and preparations for lunar flyby are underway. During their trip around the far side of the Moon, they will capture imagery to share with scientists (and you, too!).

This view just hits different 🌍 @Astro_Christina and @astro_reid take a moment to look back at Earth as they continue deep into space toward the Moon.

It was amazing to share the lift off of Artemis II with my father watching the launch of a new generation of explorers to leave the planet.  Congratulations to the Artemis team and Godspeed to the crew of Artemis II.

BREAKING🚨: Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch officially becomes the farthest any woman has ever traveled from Earth.

Good morning, world! 🌎 We have spectacular new high-resolution images of our home planet, all of us looking back through the Orion capsule window at our Artemis II astronauts as they continue their journey to the Moon.