Because the crew started making ready for Monday’s flyby, they listened to a message that legendary astronaut Jim Lovell recorded earlier than he died.
Lovell, who died final August at 97, orbited the moon with Apollo 8 in 1968 and commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission.
“Hey, Artemis II! That is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my outdated neighborhood!” Lovell mentioned within the recording, which flight controllers in Houston beamed as much as Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen shortly after they wakened.
“When Frank Borman, Invoice Anders, and I orbited the Moon on Apollo 8, we obtained humanity’s first up-close have a look at the Moon and obtained a view of the house planet that impressed and united folks world wide,” Lovell mentioned. “I am proud to go that torch on to you — as you swing across the Moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars … for the good thing about all.”
Lovell mentioned he knew they’d be busy right this moment however reminded them “to benefit from the view.”
“So, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, and all the good groups supporting you – good luck and Godspeed from all of us right here on the great Earth,” he mentioned.
Wiseman replied, “That was an superior message from Jim Lovell. Very cool to listen to him welcoming us to the neighborhood. It’ll be an important day.”
The spacecraft communicator Amy Dill in mission management mentioned, “That gave me chills, undoubtedly considered one of my heroes.”
NASA posted the recording on X.
