Podcast Summary: The Story (The Times)

Episode: Artemis II: NASA’s plan for the Moon and beyond
Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Manveen Rana
Guests: Scott Kelly (former astronaut), Kaya Burgess (Science and Religious Affairs Correspondent, The Times)

Episode Overview

This episode explores NASA’s Artemis II mission—humanity’s long-awaited return to the Moon and the dawn of a new space age. Host Manveen Rana, with insights from veteran astronaut Scott Kelly and science correspondent Kaya Burgess, unpack NASA’s ambitions, the technical and cultural legacy of lunar exploration, the international landscape fueling today's space race, and the vital role politics and inspiration play in fueling these missions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Legacy of Apollo and the New Age of Lunar Exploration

• Reflecting on Apollo’s Impact
  • The Apollo 11 landing lasted less than 24 hours, but changed the human imagination forever.
    • (01:25) “But the impact down here on Earth was unparalleled.” — Manveen Rana
• Why the Moon Still Matters
  • The Artemis program aims not just to visit but to build a lasting presence.
  • Scientific, strategic, and inspirational values are central.
    • (02:50) “I don’t think humans have ever discovered something and then at some point didn’t establish a presence, a permanent presence.” — Scott Kelly

Artemis Mission: Details, Objectives, and Crew

• Artemis Program Overview

  • Initiated by the Trump administration (drawing parallels to JFK), Artemis is named for Apollo’s mythological sister.
  • Artemis I was unmanned; Artemis II will send four astronauts (three Americans & one Canadian) thousands of miles beyond the Moon.
    • (11:33) “NASA were only too glad to say, look, you give us the money and we’re going.” — Kaya Burgess
    • Crew: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch (first woman on a lunar mission), Jeremy Hansen.

• Mission Goals & Trajectory

  • Tests human travel in new spacecraft (Orion), uses a “slingshot” trajectory past the Moon.
  • Prepares for future lunar landings and Mars missions.
    • (15:50) “They are going to accelerate towards the moon... it slingshots them back towards the Earth. So it’ll be a sort of figure of 8 type of configuration.” — Kaya Burgess

• Why Now?

  • Renewed interest due to scientific advances, discovery of lunar resources (water/ice), and renewed geo-political competition (China).
    • (09:08) “Humanity’s first trip into deep space in, in 53 years.” — Kaya Burgess

The Technology and Risks

• Spacecraft & Conditions
  • The new SLS rocket and Orion capsule: tight, practical quarters ("not much bigger than a Ford Transit van").
  • Safety concerns and the readiness of new hardware have caused delays.
    • (13:14) “This is a new rocket that’s never carried human beings into space before...” — Kaya Burgess
• Astronaut Perspective & Caution
  • The Artemis II crew and NASA are conscious of risks but confident.
    • (17:43) “...we are 100% ready for that.” — Reid Wiseman, via Scott Kelly

Human Fascination & Cultural Implications

• Why We’re Drawn to the Moon
  • The Moon is entwined in mythology, religion, and spiritual yearning.
    • (07:50) “Space travel and exploration has always been almost as much about sort of spiritual discovery... as scientific.” — Kaya Burgess
• Visual Awe & Unusual Finds
  • Historical moments like discovering orange soil on the Moon highlight its surprises.
    • (22:43) [Archive] “Oh, hey, there is orange. So it’s all over. It’s orange. Wait, I put my visor up. It’s still orange. Crazy.”

The New Space Race: International Competition & Private Ventures

• Rivals Old and New
  • While the US and Russia clashed in the past, today’s main rival is China, with India also vying for presence.
    • (23:29) “China and India are kind of quite leading... China has really been leading in the last few years on uncrewed sort of robotic probes landing on the moon.” — Kaya Burgess
• Private Sector Rising
  • SpaceX (Elon Musk) and Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos) are deeply involved, building lunar landers and next-gen space stations.
• Legal and Strategic Stakes
  • Treaties prevent "claiming" the moon but control over lunar bases/kudos/prime spots remains critical.
    • (25:04) “It’s not so much particularly... about staking out a kind of territorial claim as much as... the kudos, the scientific kudos of getting there first.” — Kaya Burgess

The Moon’s Resources and Mars as the Ultimate Prize

• What’s to Gain?
  • Moon’s ice and minerals could support lunar outposts, produce oxygen and rocket fuel; mining for export remains a distant prospect.
    • (26:37) “I think it’s more likely to be useful to give astronauts what they need on the moon...” — Kaya Burgess
• Mars on the Horizon
  • Artemis as stepping stone; simulated Mars missions already underway; actual human Mars landing unlikely before the 2040s.
    • (27:36) “They are really talking about Artemis as the moon is just stage one on the road to Mars.” — Kaya Burgess

Funding, Inspiration, and the Political Will

• It’s Not Just Rocket Science
  • Political leadership, public enthusiasm, and international partnership are all crucial.
    • (28:47) “Going to Mars is not about rocket science, it’s about political science.” — Scott Kelly (quoting his twin brother Mark Kelly, now US Senator)
• The Value of Inspiration
  • Even beyond immediate practical payoff, the space program raises aspirations in science and tech—vital for the global knowledge economy.
    • (29:48) “It’s inspirational to a huge, huge part of our population and it inspires them to work hard to study science, math, engineering.” — Scott Kelly

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Humanity’s Urge to Explore
  • [02:50] “I don’t think humans have ever discovered something and then at some point didn’t establish a presence, a permanent presence.”
    — Scott Kelly
• On Relative Distance to the Moon
  • [04:43] “If you had a soccer ball... the space station would fly an inch off the surface—the moon would be 10 feet away.”
    — Scott Kelly
• On the Value of Space Programs
  • [29:48] “All that money is spent on the ground... people that support their communities, pay taxes, it develops technologies... that are just so ubiquitous to us today that we could not live without.”
    — Scott Kelly
• On Inspiration
  • [32:00] “The people with the imagination to dream about someday going to space... those are the people that build things, that invent things, that make a stronger economy. So I’m hopeful we never lose sight of that.”
    — Scott Kelly

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:35 | Legacy & impact of Apollo moon landings | | 02:18 | Introduction to Artemis program | | 03:36 | Astronaut Scott Kelly discusses returning to the Moon | | 07:50 | Cultural and philosophical significance of the Moon | | 10:44 | Artemis II mission specifics & crew details | | 13:14 | Technical delays and launch challenges | | 15:50 | Detailed explanation of mission trajectory | | 17:12 | Safety concerns and astronaut confidence | | 18:56 | Historical perspective: the first space race | | 21:10 | The “far side” of the Moon explained | | 23:29 | International and private competition in space | | 25:04 | Legalities and strategic stakes on the Moon | | 27:36 | Moon as a stepping stone to Mars | | 28:47 | The political science of space exploration | | 29:48 | The greater impact of space program funding |

Conclusion

The Story’s Artemis II episode is an enlightening deep-dive into not just the technicalities of lunar missions, but the deep cultural, political, and inspirational forces that drive humanity upwards. Artemis II isn’t simply about returning to the Moon—it’s reawakening our curiosity, solidifying strategic hopes, and propelling us toward Mars. Whether through myth, science, or imagination, this mission captures the restless human spirit to know, to venture, and to endure.