Indian astronaut-designates have hailed the success of Artemis II as a defining moment for humanity, following the safe return of its crew after a historic journey around the Moon.
The Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday after completing a 10-day trip to the Moon, during which they shattered multiple records, including travelling furthest away from Earth.
Astronaut Group Captain Angad Singh described the mission as a “watershed moment,” highlighting its global significance. “This is a watershed moment for all of humanity wherein humans have gone to the Moon after a gap of 50 plus years,” he said.
Max emphasised the immense effort behind such missions, noting that reaching the Moon requires “courage, effort and money.” Singh added that Artemis II has reaffirmed faith in human capability. “It has re-validated that nothing is impossible when you have the right amount of human resilience, vision, and the best system engineering of the day has to offer. Well done Team Artemis II, the whole of humanity is super proud of you, we look up to you,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Air Commodore P Balakrishnan Nair offered a poetic reflection on the mission’s significance. “The conception of a child in a mother’s womb is a symbol of untold possibilities. As the Artemis II crew returns to Earth, it can in many ways be imagined as being conceived in the womb of Mother Earth,” he said.
Nair added that the mission should be seen as the beginning of a new era. “Let this be the symbol for the beginning of immense possibilities for humanity,” he said, underlining the broader vision of deep space exploration.
The Artemis II mission, led by Nasa, marks the first time humans have travelled to the vicinity of the Moon since the Apollo program.
The successful flight is expected to pave the way for future missions, including landing astronauts on the lunar surface.
For India, currently preparing for its own human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, the mission serves as both inspiration and a benchmark.
Experts say Artemis II’s success reinforces global momentum in human space exploration and highlights the collaborative future of missions beyond Earth orbit.
