From Dailymail · · 1m 50s
Artemis II Astronaut Reveals Fear of Crew Being Lost in Space
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman described terrifying moment he feared crew would be lost after shuttle strayed too far from Earth.
In brief
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman described terrifying moment he feared crew would be lost after shuttle strayed too far from Earth. Artemis II astronaut Reid Wiseman feared crew would be lost in space after odometer showed 219,669 nautical miles from Earth, but they safely returned. Originally reported by Dailymail.
Artemis II Mission Fear
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman revealed he feared crew would be lost in space after shuttle strayed too far from Earth.
Maximum Distance Reached
Crew reached maximum distance of 219,669 nautical miles from Earth during lunar flyby mission.
Odometer Anomaly
Odometer showed 219,668 then 219,669 nautical miles after mission control said 219,667 was the limit.
Fear Moment
Wiseman felt real fear when odometer hit 219,669 nautical miles, fearing crew would never return to Earth.
Odometer Reset
Odometer began counting down after three minutes, indicating crew was returning to Earth.
Crew's Acceptance
Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen said crew was 'at peace' with risk of catastrophic error during mission.
Earth Sickness
Wiseman described feeling 'Earthsickness' seeing Earth as tiny dot in infinite black space.
Re-entry Experience
Astronauts experienced deceleration forces four times stronger than gravity during re-entry.
Splashdown
Crew splashed down in Pacific off San Diego at 5:07pm local time on April 10, 2026.
Hawking Medals
All four astronauts received Stephen Hawking medals for science communication at Starmus Festival.
Chaplain Visit
Wiseman met ship's chaplain and broke down in tears after seeing cross on his collar.
Spiritual Impact
Wiseman described feeling humanity couldn't comprehend what they saw during lunar eclipse.
Re-entry Details
Orion capsule separated from service module 34 minutes before splashdown and landed at 20 mph.
Return to Base
Astronauts were rescued by helicopters after ocean currents delayed landing by over an hour.
The big picture
Artemis II astronaut Reid Wiseman feared crew would be lost in space after odometer showed 219,669 nautical miles from Earth, but they safely returned.
