# 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.
- Title: Artemis II Astronaut Reveals Fear of Crew Being Lost in Space
- Summary: Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman described terrifying moment he feared crew would be lost after shuttle strayed too far from Earth. Artemis II astronaut…
- Keywords: artemis ii, reid wiseman, nasa, lunar flyby, space mission, odometer, 219669 nautical miles, earth sickness, re-entry, orion capsule, science, Artemis
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16219361/Artemis-II-astronaut-reveals-feared-crew-lost-space-straying-far-Earth.html
- Published: 2026-10-19T00:48:04+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: artemis ii, reid wiseman, nasa, lunar flyby, space mission, odometer, 219669 nautical miles, earth sickness, re-entry, orion capsule, science
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.