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Artemis II astronauts reflect on historic flight as they wrap up moon mission
Updated on: April 9, 2026 / 12:39 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- A crater was informally named after Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll, a suggestion from his crewmates that deeply moved him.
- Victor Glover described observing a solar eclipse as a highlight, watching the sun disappear behind the moon.
- Reid Wiseman found watching the Earth set behind the moon and disappearing from view to be an unbelievable and chilling sight.
- The crew shared maple cookies and reflected on their surreal experience while viewing the Earth eclipse.
- A liquid oxygen pressurization issue in the service module caused the cancellation of a manual piloting test.
- Navy recovery crews are preparing for the Orion capsule's splashdown off the southern California coast.
- Artemis II astronauts were the first humans to see a significant portion of the moon's far side in daylight, offering new insights.
- A minor issue with the ship's toilet has been an annoyance but is considered relatively minor compared to mission challenges.