by Nolan Sickels

The Artemis II wasn’t like other trips we’ve taken to space; it’s the first one to travel out of low earth orbit since 1972. It also is the first time humans have gone to the moon since 1972.

The Artemis missions started in 2022 when NASA sent the Artemis I to travel around the moon. Now with the second step of the Artemis missions done, they’re hoping that next year will see astronauts land on the moon. The plan is to have a long-lasting human presence on the moon by the late 2020s.

While all that may seem exciting, it seems as if no one knows much about it. “I knew about it being a space mission to the moon but that’s really it,” Bellbrook High School senior Alex Koverman said.

But there isn’t a disinterest in the Artemis II or future travels to the Moon. “I think we should make a trip to the moon once a year,” Andrew West, a senior at Bellbrook High School, said.

It’s also sparked a new intrigue about space in general to a lot of people. “I’m someone who is interested in space, so it’s inspired me to look more into the whole reason we’re going to the moon,” Koverman said.

“I hope we can find out if there’s aliens or not,” West said.

The Artemis II mission to explore further into space than any humans had gone before excited more than 18 million viewers across multiple platforms during the 10 day mission. “I’m excited that we’re going back to the moon after so long,” Koverman said. “It’s very cool.”