NASA’s Artemis II Launches Astronauts on Historic Mission Around the Moon

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Beat with Ari Melber

Episode: NASA’s Artemis II Launches Astronauts on Historic Mission Around the Moon
Air Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Melissa Murray (in for Ari Melber)
Special Guests:

• Josh Einiger (MSNOW, live at Kennedy Space Center)
• Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (House Minority Leader, D-NY)
• Danny Olivas (Retired NASA Astronaut)
• Casey Dreier (Chief of Space Policy, The Planetary Society)
• Adam Frank (Professor of Astrophysics, University of Rochester)

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Main Theme and Purpose

This episode delivers live coverage and expert commentary on the historic launch of NASA’s Artemis II—the first crewed mission to orbit the moon in over 50 years. Alongside, the show examines current US political tensions, including the President’s approach to the Iran war and a pivotal Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship. The episode captures the exhilaration of human spaceflight, the significance of international and diverse crew participation, and how space exploration advances American aspirations and global influence.

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Episode Breakdown

I. Lead Story: Artemis II Lunar Mission Launch (00:45–53:00)

A. Launch Build-Up and Technical Updates

• The Artemis II mission marks the first time humans will circle the moon since 1972.

• Four astronauts (Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen) prepare for a 10-day lunar flyby and return.

• Technical delays had pushed the launch to April after previous attempts in February and March.

• The rocket, SLS (Space Launch System), is NASA’s most powerful to date, newly replacing the retired space shuttle fleet.

  Notable Segment:
  Josh Einiger on Launch Status — 01:49

  “Well, so far so good, Melissa. I've actually been listening in this ear to the mission control updates and there was just an issue that has come up involving a battery on the Orion or the Artemis... They're working on troubleshooting.”

B. Historical and Personal Reflections

• Melissa Murray notes the nostalgia and tension of growing up with Florida’s space launches.
• Josh Einiger details logistical and weather contingencies for launch windows.
• The gravity of the occasion is reflected in the atmosphere at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

C. Inside the Crew’s Experience

• Former astronaut Danny Olivas provides a personal account of what the crew is experiencing: meticulous system checks, long pre-launch days, and the intense psychological focus required.

• Details include the ten-minute “hold” before launch and what it feels like inside a violently shaking rocket at liftoff (see 20:03–29:00).

  Memorable Quote — 27:56
  Danny Olivas:

  “That feeling is exhilarating and extremely… really, it’s hard to describe how incredibly violent and significant those vibrations are. There’s no way that your eyeballs can keep up with it... and next thing you know you’re on your way.”

D. Broader Significance and Expert Analysis

• Casey Dreier and Adam Frank discuss why returning to the moon is pivotal:

  • Jumpstarts a “new era” after the shuttle program lull
  • Aims to establish permanent lunar bases and fuel a growing space economy
  • Signals global leadership and long-term human expansion into deep space

  Notable Quote — 25:37
  Adam Frank:

  “Now going back to the moon, and we're going to stay. The space economy right now is already hundreds of billions of dollars... We're beginning to transition to becoming a space faring civilization.”

E. Launch Sequence (31:37–36:10)

• The final countdown is broadcast live, with real-time NASA/Mission Control updates.

• Listeners experience the ignition, liftoff, and early mission milestones (separation, entering orbit).

  Launch Call — 31:44
  Launch Countdown Voice:

  “The crew of Artemis 2 now bound for the moon. Humanity's next great voyage begins.”

• The mission’s craft “Integrity” successfully enters orbit, headed for a lunar flyby.

• The diversity of the crew is highlighted: Victor Glover as the first African American on a lunar mission and Christina Koch as the first woman to circumnavigate the moon.

  Casey Dreier — 43:22:

  “It’s certainly much more representative of the country... How many engineers and scientists were just made because of that moment we just watched?”

F. Emotional Reactions & Cultural Impact

• Panelists and correspondents express awe and pride at witnessing history.

• Adam Frank and Josh Einiger note how this mission may ignite a new generation’s passion for science and exploration.

  Adam Frank — 44:54:

  “This is not just a launch ... this is really the opening of the… permanently opening the frontier beyond Earth orbit.”

  Josh Einiger — 46:05:

  “This is such a triumph of ingenuity and it really is just such a culmination of years and years of work by thousands of people, not just the four astronauts on board ‘Integrity’, but this entire space program.”

G. What Happens Next

• The crew will conduct tests en route to the moon, including critical life support checks, before performing a “gravitational slingshot” around the far side.

• The mission will serve as a proving ground for subsequent human landings and deep space exploration strategies.

  Danny Olivas — 51:36:

  "They’re going to come in screaming at close to 25,000 miles an hour... the temperature on the stagnation point will reach somewhere on the order of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. So it’ll be sporty, but the crew is ready, the vehicle’s ready…”

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II. Major Political Storylines

A. The Iran War and Congressional Politics (05:10–14:26)

• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticizes the President (Donald Trump) and Republicans for launching an unpopular, “reckless war of choice” in Iran.

• Jeffries outlines Democratic opposition to proposed $200 billion in further war funding, particularly if it involves social safety net cuts.

• Questions arise about the War Powers Resolution, congressional authority, and shifting GOP support.

• ICE and border enforcement funding is discussed, with Jeffries demanding meaningful reform before further allocation to aggressive immigration enforcement.

  Key Quotes:

  • Jeffries — 05:25:

    “Donald Trump and Republicans have gotten us into a reckless war of choice with no plan, no objectives, and no clear exit strategy..."

  • Jeffries — 09:11:

    “The notion that Donald Trump entered this country into a reckless war of choice is spending billions of dollars to drop bombs in Iran, but won’t spend a dime to actually extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits... is out of control.”

B. Supreme Court and the President’s Personal Involvement (13:07–14:26)

• For the first time, a sitting president attended Supreme Court oral arguments, regarding efforts to end birthright citizenship.

• Jeffries calls this “very king-like behavior,” speculates about intimidation, and reaffirms the 14th Amendment’s clarity on birthright citizenship.

  Jeffries — 13:21:

  “It was very king like behavior, it appears, in terms of Donald Trump showing up. I don’t know whether he was trying to intimidate the justices that he had previously appointed..."

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III. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Launch Excitement

• "Let’s go. So it does sound like they are perhaps moments away from resuming the clock…”
  – Josh Einiger (17:49)
• “The crew of Artemis 2 now bound for the moon. Humanity’s next great voyage begins.”
  – Launch Countdown Voice (31:44)

On the Diversity & Impact of the Crew

• “…Pilot Victor Glover is going to be the first African American on a lunar mission. Christina Koch will be the first woman to circumnavigate the moon.”
  – Melissa Murray (42:53)

On the Meaning of Exploration

• “This is a first step in staying out there.”
  – Adam Frank (25:37)
• “What an astonishing event we just witnessed. And again, this is why we do these kind of amazing things. It reminds us what we're capable of. And it really brings out literally the best in us.”
  – Casey Dreier (43:22)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 00:45 | Launch build-up begins; technical issues reviewed | | 05:10 | Hakeem Jeffries interview on Iran war and Congress | | 14:25 | Supreme Court arguments and President’s attendance | | 15:53 | Artemis II panel and live countdown coverage begins | | 17:49 | Pre-launch updates and “go” poll check | | 20:03 | Astronaut perspective: Final preparations (Olivas) | | 27:56 | What it feels like in rocket at launch (Olivas) | | 31:44 | Live launch—actual ignition and liftoff | | 36:07 | Mission enters orbit; first confirmations post-launch | | 42:53 | Crew diversity and its representation | | 44:54 | Broader meaning of mission (Adam Frank) | | 46:05 | On-the-ground mood at Kennedy (Josh Einiger) | | 49:31 | What happens next for the Artemis II crew | | 51:36 | Upcoming challenges: re-entry and recovery (Olivas) |

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Conclusion

This special episode captures the emotion, stakes, and technical wonder of Artemis II not merely as a space milestone, but as a symbol of American and human aspiration at a time of political turbulence. The detailed, real-time coverage brings listeners to the launch pad alongside experts and officials, while the conversations about leadership, global alliances, and America’s direction add depth—reminding us that history is made both in orbit and on the ground.

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Transcript

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[Melissa Murray]

Welcome to the Beat. I'm Melissa Murray in for Ari Melbur. And we have got a huge night ahead. And it starts with what you are seeing on your screen right now. The imminent launch of Artemis 2, the first crewed mission around the moon in

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

more than 50 years. Liftoff is expected this hour and we will be bringing it to you live. Later in the show, we're going to talk about another historic first, this time on Earth.

[Melissa Murray]

The President of the United States attending oral arguments at the Supreme Court today

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

as the court considers his attempt to end birthright citizenship. Plus, we're just hours away from the President's live address to the nation on the Iran war. He will deliver that speech amid flagging poll numbers that reflect his handling of both the war and the economy. But tonight we are going to start with MSNOW's Josh Einiger, who is live at the Kennedy Space center in Florida. Josh, what does it look like there for the launch? Is it all systems go?

[Josh Einiger]

Well, so far so good, Melissa. I've actually been listening in this ear to the mission control updates and there was just an issue that has come up involving a battery on the Orion or the Artemis. The whole launcher behind me in the distance back there. Behind me, the SLS rocket. Right now they're working on troubleshooting that we have not yet heard if that's going to impact the actual launch. Launch window opens at 6:24 Eastern Time. So a little bit less than 24 minutes from now, there is a 10 minute hold, meaning they will hold the clock at T minus 10 minutes to make sure that all systems are going. So that's when we'll know exactly what happen. Window itself is two hours long. So they have two hours when they can launch Artemis 2 and get it on its trajectory to meet up with the moon on this historic lunar mission. A return of humankind to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. So we'll of course, be watching and I'll be listening.

[Melissa Murray]

Melissa I'm feeling a little nostalgic here. I grew up in Florida, so I remember the space shuttle launches and there were always these wide windows so they could troubleshoot anything that came up. But there was also the chance that you could miss the window entirely. If that is the case, when is the next opportunity for this launch?

[Josh Einiger]

Tomorrow. They've got several windows over the next few days, Melissa, and then if they miss all of them, there's one more at the end of the month. This, by the way, is the third month that they've tried. There was a series of days in February and then a series of days in early March, and they came up with problems in both of those times. In fact, the second chunk of time they went through this, what they refer to as a wet dress rehearsal. They went through all the tests and they determined that there were issues that had to be worked out. And they actually rolled the entire vehicle back to the vehicle assembly building, the vab. It's about a four mile journey moving very, very slowly. So they resolved all those issues. They have new seals that had been the issue. And they believe, they say that everything looks good for launch. But a couple of things have cropped up. And Melissa, you remember this growing up here In Florida, I, 20 years ago covered the space shuttle program, several launches, and there are all kinds of issues that come up in this phase of the countdown. So nothing necessarily means that there's going to be a scrub when it comes to weather. That's the other thing. All day today, they said weather was 80% go. They recently upgraded that to 90% because there was a little cloudy here earlier. The skies over launch complex 39B have now cleared. Of course, the issue also is the weather along the trajectory that the rocket is going to take as it circles the Earth, as it exits the Earth's atmosphere. Of course, because if there has to be an abort, they need clear weather all along the route so that it's much more complicated than just as you see there in that picture, the sun right now shining on the Orion spacecraft as it sits on top of the sls, that space launch system, which is the replacement for the shuttle, which of course was decommissioned years ago.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, Josh, we will check back with you later in the hour. Right now we are going to Turn to a special guest here on the Beat for a big night in politics. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democrat from New York, is joining us right now. Leader Jeffries, how are you?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Good. Great to be with you.

[Melissa Murray]

Great to have you. Lots of questions going on here. The president is going to make his big address tonight to the nation on update on the Iran war. What are you hoping to hear from the president about this incredibly unpopular war?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Donald Trump and Republicans have gotten us into a reckless war of choice with no plan, no objectives, and no clear exit strategy. The war clearly has not made us safer, but it has made life more expensive in this country and it needs to end. Now, the American people, as you've pointed out, Melissa, have expressed themselves from the very beginning of this conflict because our view in totality is that billions of dollars are being wasted right now to drop bombs in the Middle East. But the same group of extremists, Donald Trump and Republicans in the House and the Senate, won't even spend a dime to make life more affordable for the American people. In fact, we know what the war is doing. It's increasing costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing through the roof and it's hurting everyday Americans all across the country.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

So tonight, are you hoping to hear a plan for withdrawing from Iran?

[Melissa Murray]

And if so, what will that mean for the control of the Strait of Hormuz, which still remains in the hands of Iran?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

That's a challenge that Donald Trump, of course, has created, had no clear strategy or preparation done to deal with this eventuality. And that's part of the problem of how this president and Republicans have conducted themselves from the very beginning, sort of just unleashing chaos and extremism on the American people and on the world. Now, it will be interesting to see if the president has articulated a plan to bring our allies together in order to get the situation in terms of the Strait of hormones under control. But he's not going to be able to accomplish that objective by criticizing and bullying and name calling our NATO allies, which is what this guy has done from the very beginning of his presidency and is completely and totally ineffective.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

So one of the criticisms of this

[Melissa Murray]

war is that the president has never really consulted with Congress as is required under the Constitution.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

Last month, a War Powers Resolution that

[Melissa Murray]

sought to restrain the president was issued but failed in the House. It was not passed. As this unpopular war continues, do you

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

think the momentum on Capitol Hill is going to shift?

[Melissa Murray]

And do you think there will be

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

more members of the Republican Party who

[Melissa Murray]

are willing to criticize this president and

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

the way this war has been conducted in the absence of congressional approval certainly is my hope.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

But I'm not holding my breath because House Republicans have, from the very beginning of this presidency, conducting themselves not as a wholly. I mean, not as a separate and co. Equal branch of government, but actually like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump cartel. These people continue to bury their heads in the sand and just serve like a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump's extreme agenda. The war is so deeply unpopular, it's been so ineffective in accomplishing whatever objectives Donald Trump has articulated from day to day. And, of course, it's making life more expensive for the American people. It is my hope that upon our return, when we will have the ability to bring another war powers resolution to the floor of the House, that a handful of House Republicans, we just need a few more to join us, and we can successfully enact a resolution that would require Donald Trump to end the war immediately.

[Melissa Murray]

You mentioned one of the dynamics that has made this war so unpopular. It has had real constraints on affordability. Now, the White House is reportedly eyeing a $200 billion funding request for the war. And the president has also reportedly suggested that additional cuts to healthcare may be necessary to fund the war. How is the Democratic Caucus going to respond to these measures? Will you be opposing this? Will you seek concessions on other issues? Are you planning to make this an issue as we go into the midterm cycle?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, it's my expectation that there will be strong opposition amongst House Democrats and Senate Democrats, as has already been expressed by many members across the Capitol. And by the way, there should be some Republicans who join us. The notion that Donald Trump entered this country into a reckless war of choice is spending billions of dollars to drop bombs in Iran, but won't spend a dime to actually extend the Affordable Care act tax credits to reverse the Medicaid cuts, to deal with the damage that has been done to the economy as a result of the Trump tariffs, and then wants to come back to the taxpayers and ask us for as much as potentially $200 billion is out of control. And, you know, I think one of the reasons why Donald Trump is now talking about trying to do this through the budget reconciliation process is because he knows his only hope is to try to jam this down the throats of the American people in an extreme partisan way. But I think the American people, as they've done with the one big ugly bill, will furiously react to any effort to continue to cut health care or cut nutritional assistance in order to actually fund Donald Trump's reckless war of choice.

[Melissa Murray]

Well, there was widespread public outrage about the bill that you just mentioned, but it did ultimately pass. Are there steps that you all are taking to oppose this potential funding measure if it comes to the floor of the House? And what might it look like in the Senate?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, it passed by a single vote, I believe, in both the House and in the Senate. And that was, of course, as a result of the fact that Republicans largely did what Donald Trump told them to do, notwithstanding the fact that many Republicans had previously committed not to cutting Medicaid or not to cutting nutritional assistance. What we'll need to do is just get a handful of House Republicans to join us. We'll just need one or two more. And I expect there will be complete Democratic opposition in the House and in the Senate, as was the case against the one big ugly bill. And we just have to continue to forcefully lay things out for the American people. The American people want their taxpayer dollars spent to make their life more affordable, not actually to rip away health care, to unleash violent, masked and untrained ICE agents, to brutalize and in some cases kill the American citizens. And in some. And now, of course, dealing with this dynamic as it relates to funding a deeply unpopular war.

[Melissa Murray]

Speaking of ice, there is now a measure that is likely that has gone through to continue funding dhs, although there is an exemption for the provisions that would fund ICE and Customs and Border Control Enforcement. What was the process like for. Are you and your caucus happy with this resolution to what has been a standoff with the administration?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, what we've made clear to Donald Trump and Republicans during this entire Trump Republican shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is that we should fund tsa, fund fema, fund the Coast Guard, fund our cybersecurity professionals, and make sure that there are actually dramatic, bold, meaningful changes to ICE so that ICE is brought back under control because we know they're conducting themselves in a violent and extreme fashion. Immigration enforcement in this country should be fair, just and humane. We need to get the Department of Homeland Security reopened in terms of every other part of it that doesn't relate to Donald Trump's violent mass deportation machine. And that's a positive outcome from the American people while we continue to fight the battles that need to be fought in terms of the type of reforms that need to be put into place before ICE gets another dime in taxpayer dollars.

[Melissa Murray]

So, Leader Jeffries, President Trump was at the Supreme Court this morning. What do you think that was about? Why did he choose to attend these

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

oral arguments the first time a president

[Melissa Murray]

has ever done so. What was the play here?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, it was very king like behavior, it appears, in terms of Donald Trump showing up. I don't know whether he was trying to intimidate the justices that he had previously appointed in some instances, but I think appropriately so. And you certainly are one of the top legal scholars in the country. But the Constitution, the 14th Amendment, the birthright citizenship clause is very clear. And as I think it was, Justice Roberts pointed out, while the Trump administration, for whatever reason is arguing that times have changed, of course that is in fact the case. This was a reconstruction amendment, but the Constitution remains the same and that has not been changed. And so hopefully Supreme Court justices are going to do the right thing in terms of ruling, as has been the case in prior Supreme Court decisions or every other federal court that has considered this matter. And Donald Trump's last ditch, desperate effort to show up and try to intimidate the justices will go nowhere.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

All right, Leader Jeffries, thanks so much

[Melissa Murray]

for joining us to get us started tonight.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Thank you.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

Just ahead, we are minutes from the

[Melissa Murray]

launch of Artemis 2. This is the first crewed mission around the world, around the moon in more than 50 years. And liftoff is coming up. We'll cover that when we come right back from the spring.

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[Josh Einiger]

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[Melissa Murray]

You're looking at live pictures from Cape Canaveral, Florida, where the Artemis 2 moon mission is scheduled to launch at any moment. This is the first crewed lunar mission since 1972. The launch window for this mission opens at 6:24pm Eastern and it will remain open for two hours. Right now you're seeing here, the SLS rocket. It is a massive instrument, measures three hundred and twenty two feet tall. It weighs 5.7 million pounds with fuel and it generates 9 million pounds of thrust. And all of that is headed to space. Here is the crew of the Artemis mission, and it's comprised of three Americans and one Canadian. If the mission is successful, these astronauts will set the record for the farthest anyone has ever been from earth, an incredible 252,000 miles away from this planet. The crew will fly to the moon, circle the far side of the moon, and perform what is known as a gravitational slingshot, which will then propel them home. The mission is expected to last 10 days and will be a test of life support systems and for a future moon landing. Again, we are just minutes away from the launch window opening. And to make sense of all of this and to give us a sense of what those astronauts are doing right now, we have a great panel to guide us through this historic moment. Mississippi Now's Josh Einiger is live at Kennedy Space Center. Danny Olivas is a retired astronaut with two NASA missions and five spacewalks under his belt. Also with us is Casey Dreier, the chief of space policy for the Planetary Society. And we are also joined by Adam Frank, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester. Josh, again, what is the mood on the ground at the Cape?

[Josh Einiger]

Well, there's sort of a hush right now at the press site at Kennedy Space Center, Michelle, because at the moment we are listening. I'm listening in this ear right now, and a lot of people are listening to the NASA team right now doing their final poll for launch. All the various modules within the launch control, within the flight testing control, they've been going from point to point to point asking if they are a go for launch. And the crew just said they are a go for launch. So right now we are waiting for them to resume the count. They are right now in what they call a 10 minute hold, where they hold the countdown at 10 minutes and give the launch team time to really make sure their T's are crossed and their I's are dotted and they are ready for a safe launch. As you said, There is a two hour window that starts at 6:24, but it doesn't end, of course, until 8:24. And so they have a cushion of times. They don't really have to start, actually start the launch sequence and launch at 6:24. That said, an interesting bit of information that they said there are 150 individual times within that two hour window. When they can't launch. And that's because there's a lot of other things orbiting the Earth. There are satellites, there's junk, there's debris. And so there are times when they can't, apparently, Artemis, because at that point they have to make sure. They're basically traffic cops in addition to making sure all the systems on the vehicle are go. So we are waiting, you're looking at it on the pad. Launch Complex 39B. And a message to the crew from the launch director just now. Godspeed. Let's go. So it does sound like they are perhaps moments away from resuming the clock, which still sits at 10 minutes. So it is a pretty exciting time. They've had a number of issues that have popped up, up in the last hour or so as they've been counting down to this point. They did say for each of them that they had resolved them. The weather is clear. It's a perfectly clear blue sky afternoon here on the space coast of Florida. And we are right now waiting for the clock to resume the count to resume and to watch history here on Florida Space Coast.

[Melissa Murray]

So Danny, you have been in space, you have been exactly where this crew is. What's going through their minds right now as they prepare to get the word that liftoff is a go?

[Danny Olivas]

Well, I guarantee you that they are focused right now 100% on their procedures, on everything that they've been training for, for all these years, as is everybody on the ground. Everyone is, you know, basically laser focused on their assignments and their the day, what the data is supposed to tell them, what it's not supposed to tell them. And they are looking at everything as tightly as they possibly can. This is a very, very delicate time during the, you know, during the launch sequence. Right as you get into the fine count. And if something is not right, now's the time to sing out because you just don't have a whole lot of time to work the problem. So we do build in a 10 minute hold to make sure everybody is ready. Everybody can catch their breath as you head into that final 10 minute count. Basically you're just firing up the bird and getting ready to go explore space.

[Melissa Murray]

So Danny, what are the kinds of last minute quality control checks that the crew's doing right now? Like how they're all strapped in ostensibly. What are they looking at? What do they need to deal with before this can actually happen?

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Five minutes so left.

[Danny Olivas]

Well, as you can imagine, with the complexity of a vehicle such as this, there are so many different systems, subsystems that have to communicate with one another. So a lot of it is data communication, making sure that the sensors are all reading what they're supposed to, that they're communicating with the computer systems to make sure that the very small valves and very small components are operating properly. I mean, this thing is instrumented to the nth degree and everything has to be working perfectly before they actually light that candle. Because once you light the solid rocket boosters, you can't shut them down. And so you get ready to go on a very long trip. And right now this is the opportunity to test everything out in the final counts they've been testing up until now. And they will continue that testing right up before launch when they basically hand over the control over to the bird.

[Melissa Murray]

So, Danny, when you were in this position, what did your day look like? The day you were going to light the candle and go off into space? How did you start your day? What do you do? There are special protocols about what you can eat and how you prepare for the rest of the day. Like what does it look like?

[Danny Olivas]

Well, a lot of people think that all they do is simply just drive up to the bird, jump on top of it, and then away you go. Right. I guarantee you this crew has already been putting in a full day and a half of work on their end. They started early this morning with their pre flight checks. They loaded up around, I guess around 2pm Eastern time. So they have actually been in place and actually working with the ground team, the launch control team, to make sure that the bird is healthy and ready to go by the time they make it into orbit. I mean, it's literally the end of a very, very long day. We're talking in the order 10, 12 hours, especially if you go near the end of the window. So when, when, when Artemis finally launches, the crew's going to be exhausted by the time they get up there. And they still have to, you know, take this rocket and convert it into an honorable platform that basically keep them alive for the next nine and a half days or so. So there's still a lot of work in front of them. They're focused on it and. But that's what they train for. That's what we all train. Get ready to fly in space.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, Josh, you have an update from mission control. What's going on on the ground?

[Josh Einiger]

They have now entered what they refer to as terminal count. They have restarted the count at 10 minutes. So we are counting down now to six. 35 Eastern is the new actual time when Artemis will launch the Orion spacecraft. Sitting on Top of the new SLS rocket which replaced the space shuttle that we all grew up watching launch from here at Kenned Space Center. Orion, by the way, has been named by the crew as Integrity. So when we listen to their communications from from Orion itself, we're going to be hearing the word integrity a lot. That is what they're calling the vehicle, which is by the way, the size of about a six person tent. And that's where they'll be living for the next 10 days.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, Casey, we are in the middle of a countdown. What does this mission mean for NASA which has been in somewhat of a lull since the end of the space shuttle program realm?

[Casey Dreier]

Well, debatably, I think they landed on Mars multiple times with robots. We've sent missions to Pluto. There's a lot of science happening. There's a lot of climate and earth science happening. Human space flight has been in a transition period and I think we're seeing the end of this transition period today. The space Shuttle was a 40 year program. This rocket that they're sitting on now is a direct descendant of the space Shuttle. It was actually mandated by Congress in 2010. This is the first time it's flying with humans. During that time we have all this new era of commercial rockets like SpaceX Falcon, which actually carries astronauts too, but only to orbit. This is our first deep space rocket that the United States has had capable of launching humans since the Saturn v since the 1960s and early 70s. So this is a fundamental upgrade in capability. The shuttle never could have gone to the moon. This is designed to go to the moon.

[Melissa Murray]

Professor, why is it so important to head back to the moon? What's the play here for the space program? And again, this isn't going to land on the moon, but it will get around the moon and is understood to be a dress rehearsal for future moon landings. What's the importance of the moon here for the space program?

[Adam Frank]

Well, the important thing is, you know, 50 years ago we went and then we stopped going because we'd done what we needed to do, which at the time was kind of beat the Russians. But now everything has changed. Right now going back to the moon and we're going to stay. The space economy right now is already hundreds of billions of dollars. It is projected to be trillions of dollars within the next decade or so. So it's not only exploration that we're interested in now, in establishing a base, a permanent base on the moon, but really we're beginning to transition to becoming a space faring civilization, a space faring race. So that's really why we're going backward. This is a first step in becoming, in staying out there there.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, we have to take a very short commercial break but we are going to stay on this and when we come back we are going to be in full countdown mode. So join us on the other side of this break

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[Josh Einiger]

Every small d democratic muscle that we have is flexing.

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[Melissa Murray]

You are seeing live pictures from Cape Canaveral, Florida, where the Artemis 2 lunar mission is set to launch in just a few minutes. We have an all star crew here in the this student here on live with us telling us what is going on on the ground there. I want to go back to you, Danny. What is it like in the rocket separation process? What will it feel like for this crew as they begin to feel the kinds of G forces that will be pulling on them as the spacecraft separates from the rockets that take it into the air?

[Danny Olivas]

The engines that are being used on SLS are actually the same, same style of engines that were built for the space shuttle era. And I can tell you from firsthand experience that the, that the feeling is exhilarating and extremely, I guess it's really, it's hard to describe how incredibly violent and significant those vibrations are. You know, it's the, the maximum extent of random vibrations you could possibly imagine. There's no way that your eyeballs can keep up with it. And it really gives you quite the bit of a shaking. And the crew's gonna feel that as soon as they six seconds prior to launch, they'll fire up the main engines, make sure that they're running healthy because those run on liquid oxygen. But then when they get the T minus 0, the solid rocket buckers, boosters will light and as soon as that happens, there'll be a big kick in the pants and next thing you know you're on your way and it is a very, a lot of vibration as you make your way up. You eventually go through 3G throttling. As they throttle back, the engines before they do hit go through maximum aerodynamic pressure. And when you get to orbit, you're pointing something on the order of around three GS. You really feel it. But when the main engine's cut off and you are now safely in orbit, it's an exhilarating feeling because all that vibration goes away in an instant and next thing you know, everything's floating around you and it's just a surreal experience.

[Launch Countdown Voice]

Coming up in just a few seconds.

[Melissa Murray]

Casey, one big change in the space program is that now private corporations are more involved in space missions. What's their connection to this particular mission? We've heard talk of Blue Origin being involved. How exactly are they involved and what will their influence be?

[Casey Dreier]

The big change is that commercial contracting is getting services for landing on the moon, for launching astronauts into space. This particular mission, Artemis 2, is very much a more standard NASA mission that we've been seeing over the last few decades. So I'll note Lockheed Martin, Boeing, any number of contractors, Teledyne, private companies are building this thing. It's just that NASA takes, takes ownership, but it is the subsequent missions, the missions that land on the moon. SpaceX and Blue Origin are actually going to be providing lunar landing services, which is a really fun phrase to say, but NASA's paying them to deliver astronauts to the surface of the moon. They'll launch on this rocket, travel to the moon on Orion, and then dock with one of the landing servicing capabilities. Pieces of hardware land on the surface by SpaceX or Blue Origin. So it's a really, it's a group effort. And that's the big change really compared to Apollo, that this is a much bigger coal coalition. There's international partners involved in this, commercial partners. It's a much bigger group of people involved in this that will hopefully will make it last longer than Apollo did.

[Mission Control Announcer]

Fly by it.

[Melissa Murray]

Josh, back on the ground in Cape Canaveral. What's the hardest part of this mission, or anticipated to be the hardest part of this mission for these astronauts to execute, and what exactly makes it so complicated for them?

[Josh Einiger]

Well, what's complicated, I think, as some of the other guests have mentioned, is that this is really a proving mission. Humans have not gone on an Artemis mission yet. They are going farther than any other humans have before. They're going 248,000 miles away. If all goes well, they'll be there on the backside of the moon in around six days. We're, by the way, at one minute now. I am hearing. So it's 56 seconds and counting right now. A lot of it is unproven. They haven't put humans up there. The point of this, one of the points is to show that the Orion spacecraft can support human flight, life support systems in the course of this very delicate mission, and then of course, land safely when they splash down in the Pacific Ocean in 10 days.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, let's pause here and watch what's happening at Cape Canaveral as we are roughly 30 seconds away from Great Call out.

[Launch Countdown Voice]

The rocket is on its own. Four brave explorers ready to ride the most powerful rocket NASA has ever launched. Sound suppression. Water is flowing. And Here we go. 10, 9, 8, 7. RS 25 engines lit form 3, 2, 1. Booster ignition and lift off. The crew of Artemis 2 now bound for the moon. Humanity's next great voyage begins.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Good roll pitch quadrant. Roll pitch.

[Mission Control Announcer]

Houston now controlling the flight of integrity on the Artemis 2 mission.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Rav up the integrity. Amt high man.

[Mission Control Announcer]

Time passing. Integrity passes the ultimate vehicle target. Milestone. Mission control, Houston seeing good performance. Engines. Space launch system core stage integrity three miles in altitude, traveling more than 1200 miles per hour. Mission elapsed time passing 1 minute.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Approaching max Q on bonte de Leon.

[Mission Control Communications]

Stan, we have you loud and clear on Monte Leon.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Abby, the same

[Mission Control Announcer]

communication signal transfer confirmed as Integrity and its crew go supersonic. Approaching 90 seconds into the Artemis 2. Mission integrity is 14 miles in altitude, 8 miles downrange. Traveling more than 2,600 miles per hour. 1 minute 50 seconds of mission elapsed time. Standing by for main engine throttle down to 85% ahead of solid rocker. Booster separation expected at the 2 minute 9 second mark. We see throttle down. Confirmed. Separation. Main engines throttling up. Guidance converged.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity. Guidance converged. Performance nominal. Upper stage RCS ready.

[Mission Control Communications]

Copy off and.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity. SM priming complete. Smiling.

[Mission Control Announcer]

2 minutes 45 seconds of mission elapsed time into the Artemis II. Mission thrusters on. Integrity and upper stage confirmed in a ready state ahead of service module fairing separation operation. Three minutes into the flight. Integrity, 49 miles in altitude, 78 miles downrange. Now passing 5,000 miles per hour. Standing by for launch. Abort system jettison.

[Mission Control Communications]

Houston integrity good last jettison. Great view.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Copy jettison. Team Eco 8 +02,

[Mission Control Communications]

we see a Salem horse

[NASA Launch Commentator]

and Houston has you loud and clear on teeters at the common line. Outstanding.

[Mission Control Communications]

Stan, we have you the same.

[Mission Control Announcer]

3 minutes 50 seconds into the flight of Artemis II. Wiseman, Glover, Cook, And Hanson cross the boundary to space with good com checks. GPS signals acquired after last jettison. Now working on internal checks to verify accuracy. Flight dynamics officer analyzed the time of main engine Cutoff confirmed at 8 minutes 2 seconds. Time of meter go.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity. Gps processing.

[Mission Control Communications]

Outstanding. Stand we see the same and we have a beautiful moon rise.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

We're headed right at it.

[Mission Control Announcer]

Approaching five minutes into the flight. Commander Reid Wiseman confirms he can pass visuals of his destination. GPS guidance, navigation and control software finishes internal checks and sends to navigation channels. Channels.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity 3 engine prem

[Mission Control Communications]

3 engine press

[Mission Control Announcer]

on. Time now passing 5 minutes 20 seconds of mission elapsed time into the Artemis 2 mission. At this point, three good main engines are all that's needed to carry integrity to a nominal main engine cutoff target though at this time we're seeing four good engines here in Mission Control, Houston. Integrity 75 miles in altitude 330 miles downrange. Approaching 10,000 miles per hour.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Up integrity. Looking good at six minutes.

[Mission Control Communications]

Same on board, Stan.

[Mission Control Announcer]

Good trajectory and engine performance. Booster officer will soon report the shutdown plan to flight Director Judd Friedling. Expected at the 7 minute mark. Integrity 78 miles in altitude 460 miles downrange.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity. Expect nominal shutdown down.

[Mission Control Communications]

Take copies. Nominal shutdown.

[Mission Control Announcer]

6 minutes 40 seconds of mission elapsed time. Shutdown plan is as expected. Again, the time of Mika was confirmed at 8 minutes 2 seconds into the flight. Seven minutes of mission elapsed time. Throttling down as we approach the abort once around option milestone at the 7 minute 30 second mark. Now 84 miles in altitude, 650 miles downrange, traveling more than 15,000 miles per hour.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity AOA open.

[Mission Control Communications]

AOE open.

[Mission Control Announcer]

The window is now open for an abort once around option that would target splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Still following nominal ascent at this time. About 10 seconds remaining until the main engine cutoff of the Space Launch system core stage. Standing by for confirmation of MECO and core stage separation.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Integrity and nominal MECO core stage separated. We see the Same onboard standard.

[Mission Control Announcer]

8 minutes 40 seconds into the flight, we have a nominal main engine cutoff heading in the right trajectory on the way to swing around the moon. Core stage has separated, done its job. The Space Launch System upper stage, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage or icps still attached to the Orion spacecraft. Nine minutes of mission elapsed time integrity. Crew of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Cook and Jeremy Hansen now in orbit around the earth at the beginning of their journey to the moon.

[NASA Launch Commentator]

And Charity, Houston looking ahead to PRM numbers so Far for the pad.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, so Commander Reid Weissman, Victor Glover, the pilot, Christina Koch, the mission specialist, all from the United States, and Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian mission specialist, have successfully launched. Danny, as you can see from the photographs, this is a very small capsule. What is it like for the crew to live in this space for the

[Mission Control Announcer]

next 10 days, that time being 49?

[Danny Olivas]

Well, it looks small, certainly, when we think about it, from a long gravity environment. But in the, you know, in space, you've got lots of room because it doesn't really matter where you work. You know, you can work upside down, right side up on the ceiling, on the floor, on the wall. Actually, a little bit of space turns into a lot of space in a real quick hurry. In fact, you lose a lot of stuff, too, because things seem to float all over the place. I just have to say I'm absolutely thrilled to see this. It was such an impressive launch. I mean, by the books, they went right by the numbers, and it was just absolutely magnificent. When you hear those words, meco, that's when I can breathe. So I'm just thrilled that they're there. I'm just so excited.

[Melissa Murray]

This was a thrilling thing to watch. Casey. This is an historic mission. The first time a crewed ship is headed back to the moon. And it's historic in a lot of other ways. The nature of the crew. Pilot Victor Glover is going to be the first African American on a lunar mission. Christina Koch will be the first woman to circumnavigate the moon.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

What does their selection represent for the future of space travel?

[NASA Launch Commentator]

Travel, Yeah.

[Casey Dreier]

I mean, it's certainly much more representative of the country that is funding this whole endeavor, but I'm sorry, this was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. It's the first time I've seen a launch to the moon right like that. This. This used to be history. For anyone under the age of 54, this is spectacular. This is. How many engineers and scientists were just made because of that moment we just watched. Scott, I'm looking at you. You are going to be. I know so many kids watching this, and. And it's just spectacular. What an amazing thing. And as calm as those NASA announcers sound, being there in person, that is the most intense and amazing experience. Just to witness you feel the power of these. It is. What an astonishing event we just witnessed. And again, this is why we do these kind of amazing things. It reminds us what we're capable of. And it really brings out literally the best in us. And all the astronauts and tapping from Our largest, from all the talent that we have available to us in this country and in all of our allies. That's fantastic.

[Co-Anchor/Reporter]

No, it is an amazing thing to watch. And as you say, we do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Professor FRANK these astronauts have done something that most Americans can only dream of, and yet this mission may have real consequences for life on this planet and beyond. So what does this mission mean, seen for the American public and the future of space exploration and the scientific gains that may be gleaned from it in the meantime?

[Josh Einiger]

Yeah, I have to, first of all,

[Adam Frank]

I also have to have my moment. I mean, this is just such an extraordinary thing. And to your point, you know, what just happened is something that will be remembered long after all of us, anybody alive today, is long gone. Because this is not just a launch, you know, to go to the moon moon. This is really the opening of the. Permanently opening the frontier beyond Earth orbit. Like we've been in Earth orbit now for decades, but to actually open up the rest of the solar system. And, you know, when you think about it, in 1900, you know, somebody found out, like, oh, we had an airplane, somebody flew an airplane, big deal. Now everybody flies all the time. In a hundred years or so, 200 years, we can expect there can be many people, millions, hundreds of millions of people, people living and working in space. This mission, that launch was the first step in getting human beings outside, beyond just the envelope, the thin envelope of Earth, near Earth orbit and into space. And the consequences of this are going to ripple through generation after generation.

[Mission Control Announcer]

Incredible ascent.

[Melissa Murray]

Josh, we're all a little over klempt here. What's the mood like on the space

[Mission Control Announcer]

coast begin their journey?

[Josh Einiger]

I mean, you know, it's easy to be verklempt watching it on the beautiful from here. I mean, it's like. It's impossible to describe what it's like to see one of these things in person. We're four miles away from the launch pad and it is, you know, the force is so incredibly intense. It shakes your insides together. It shakes the water on the lagoon behind me. Everything just shakes. Our equipment went offline briefly. It was taking some hits. So that's how powerful this was. And I just want to say, and I've been hearing what people have been saying on this panel, this incredibly distinguished panel. This is such a triumph of ingenuity and it really is just such a culmination of years and years of work by thousands of people, not just the four astronauts on board integrity, but this entire Space program. This has been in the works now for about a decade, and so far they are on track to reaching their goal. There are a lot of steps along the way between now and when they actually make their moon shot later this week. But, you know, look, the. The actual launch of a rocket like this is so fraught. There are so many points where things can go wrong. And to see it go successfully is just an amazing sight to see.

[Melissa Murray]

Well, to your point, I remember growing up in Florida, it was not uncommon to know families who were connected to the space program in some capacity. And these days were heady ones, but also really complicated. I think people who are watching, people who had loved ones who are connected to the mission. As you say, lots of things can happen. A mission can be scuttled, things can go wrong. What was the mood like among the crowd as these astronauts exited Earth's orbit safely?

[Josh Einiger]

So where we are is a site within the Kennedy Space center complex, and it's mostly press and NASA employees who are back behind us. And these are people who do this for a living who were cheering, jumping up and down and cheering when this was happening. There are thousands, tens of thousands of people up and down the Space coast who were watching this from public parks a little bit farther away, but still close enough to get a really good look. This is a huge tourism boom to this part of Florida, which has not seen something like this in quite some time. Hotels have been booked solid for weeks. In fact, they've been booked and then unbooked because people who've wanted to come here from all around the world frankly booked trips in February, and then the February launch, launch windows were scrubbed. And then they booked trips again in March. They were scrubbed. And now here we are, April Fool's Day. But this was no joke. This really went. And this is a big, big, big part of history that we are witnessing right now.

[Melissa Murray]

We can see them strapped in there earlier in the day. Can I come back to you, Josh? Just again, the mood was so ebullient when this happened. But obviously this is an ongoing mission. They're going to be working on, on what is happening on the craft itself, all of the various tasks that they have to do here. What's the next big milestone for mission Control in this crew?

[Josh Einiger]

So, like you said, there's a whole series of tests that they have to do to make sure that the actual vehicle is working properly, the systems on board are working properly, and it's going to be another day or two before they begin the sequence of events that slingshots them around the moon. Remember, this trip is mostly a proving mission, right? It's a, it's a way for NASA to show that the Orion spacecraft and the SLS that sent it up into orbit are viable for this moon. The series of moon missions, this priority at the part of the Space Administration and the part of NASA to build, you know, a base on the moon and then use that as a base for future deep space exploration. For as long as man has been looking at the sky, man has wanted to go to the moon, man has wanted to go to Mars, man has wanted to go and explore deep space.

[Melissa Murray]

I have not, Josh, just to be clear.

[Josh Einiger]

Well, well, right. And I should say humankind, but of course I like standing here and watching it myself. But, but it is, it is the, the sort of, the, just the, the magic of exploration that really does attract so many people's attention. And quite frankly, in the last several years, n has not really provided public inspiration the way it did before when you and I were growing up. And the new administrator of NASA, Jared Isaacman, has been very clear, saying he wants kids to grow up and dress up as astronauts for Halloween again, which they haven't done in quite some time. This is a priority at the highest levels of the federal government right now, and they appear at least a few minutes into this mission to be well on their way.

[Melissa Murray]

All right, Danny, just before we go, the next big point for these astronauts, obviously the work that they have to do there, but we are going to see them re enter the Earth's orbit in 10 days. What does that look like? What challenges do they face? And what will you be looking for?

[Danny Olivas]

They're going to come in screaming at close to 25,000 miles an hour, and the temperature on the, on the stagnation point will reach somewhere on the Earth about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. So it'll be sporty, but the crew is ready, the vehicle's ready. We had some experience with Artemis I. We learned a lot as a result of that test flight. And by the time a crew comes home, they will have accomplished something that this country hasn't seen in a long time. And they will have done so in a diverse manner where we have demonstrated the wonder that we can accomplish through embracing the diversity of what America is. I mean, everything and everyone. Tens of thousands of engineers and scientists and researchers and space lovers across our country have come to make this mission happen. And we have four astronauts right now that are making their way to the moon to come back and prove that we can do phenomenal things when we

[Melissa Murray]

work together and a whole generation of space lovers born tonight on this historic evening. Josh Einiger, Danny Olivas, Casey Dreier, and Professor Adam Frank. Thank you so much for walking us through all of this. We will be right back. Thanks for joining us tonight as America once again makes its way back to the moon. That does it for me.

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