"In April, the Artemis II launched into space with over 5 million people’s names included on an SD card loaded onboard the ship, but why did they have the names, and what was their specific mission?"-Willa stone, 6th grade
In April, the Artemis II launched into space with over 5 million people’s names included on an SD card loaded onboard the ship, but why did they have the names, and what was their specific mission?
The Artemis II was a widely historic, 10-day space journey past the moon with a human crew that took place from April 1st to April 10th. “Fifty‑three years ago, humanity left the Moon. This time, we returned to stay. The future is ours to win,” wrote Jennifer M. Dooren in her article NASA Welcomes Record-Setting Artemis II Moonfarers Back to Earth.
NASA created the Artemis II program to return humans to the moon for a long-term scientific journey and this is trying to build a lasting home on the moon. “As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly challenging missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for sending the first astronauts – American astronauts – to Mars," writes Dooren in NASA Welcomes Record-Setting Artemis II Moonfarers Back to Earth. NASA is using the data from the Artemis II mission to test how outer space travel affects a person's body and to plan future trips to the moon and Mars.
The Artemis II carried names on board as a part of NASA’s public engagement involvement campaign and a personal selenic (relating to the moon) naming custom. NASA engages the public through citizen science, prize competitions, social media milestones, and behind-the-scenes access programs.
“The collected names will be put on an SD card loaded aboard Orion before launch. In return, participants can download a boarding pass with their name on it as a collectible,” according to NASA.
“I was so excited to hear my name was on the ship because I wouldn't have to go into space, terrified for my life, but I could still say I went to the moon,” said 8th grade Literary Arts student Wesleigh Stone.
The personal selenic naming custom refers to an informal but deeply rooted spaceflight tradition where astronauts choose provisional, personal names for lunar features—such as craters or mountains—often to honor loved ones or commemorate milestones from their missions. The best part: it cost zero dollars to get your name added to NASA’s Artemis II mission! But there was only one primary method to submit your name to the Artemis II campaign . People added their names to the Artemis II mission by signing up online through the NASA Artemis website before the deadline on January 21st.
In the end, Artemis II was never just about a 10-day trip around the Moon. It was the ultimate leap for the next generation of cosmic discovery. By successfully testing the spacecraft with a human crew, NASA and its international partners have set the stage for quantum leaps in the field.
Also the millions of names riding on an SD card inside the spacecraft prove that Artemis II is more than just a mission of four brave astronauts—it is a journey for all of humanity. By carrying a piece of our social identity around the Moon, NASA has bridged the gap between Earth and deep space, ensuring that as we take our next giant leap into the future, we do so together.
With the lessons learned from this historic flyby, the focus now shifts entirely to the upcoming Artemis missions that will see humans land on the lunar surface and to ultimately establish a staging ground for Mars missions. Artemis II has officially closed the five-decade gap since Apollo, proving that humanity is not just visiting space again—we are preparing to stay.
The Artemis II was a widely historic, 10-day space journey past the moon with a human crew that took place from April 1st to April 10th. “Fifty‑three years ago, humanity left the Moon. This time, we returned to stay. The future is ours to win,” wrote Jennifer M. Dooren in her article NASA Welcomes Record-Setting Artemis II Moonfarers Back to Earth.
NASA created the Artemis II program to return humans to the moon for a long-term scientific journey and this is trying to build a lasting home on the moon. “As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly challenging missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for sending the first astronauts – American astronauts – to Mars," writes Dooren in NASA Welcomes Record-Setting Artemis II Moonfarers Back to Earth. NASA is using the data from the Artemis II mission to test how outer space travel affects a person's body and to plan future trips to the moon and Mars.
The Artemis II carried names on board as a part of NASA’s public engagement involvement campaign and a personal selenic (relating to the moon) naming custom. NASA engages the public through citizen science, prize competitions, social media milestones, and behind-the-scenes access programs.
“The collected names will be put on an SD card loaded aboard Orion before launch. In return, participants can download a boarding pass with their name on it as a collectible,” according to NASA.
“I was so excited to hear my name was on the ship because I wouldn't have to go into space, terrified for my life, but I could still say I went to the moon,” said 8th grade Literary Arts student Wesleigh Stone.
The personal selenic naming custom refers to an informal but deeply rooted spaceflight tradition where astronauts choose provisional, personal names for lunar features—such as craters or mountains—often to honor loved ones or commemorate milestones from their missions. The best part: it cost zero dollars to get your name added to NASA’s Artemis II mission! But there was only one primary method to submit your name to the Artemis II campaign . People added their names to the Artemis II mission by signing up online through the NASA Artemis website before the deadline on January 21st.
In the end, Artemis II was never just about a 10-day trip around the Moon. It was the ultimate leap for the next generation of cosmic discovery. By successfully testing the spacecraft with a human crew, NASA and its international partners have set the stage for quantum leaps in the field.
Also the millions of names riding on an SD card inside the spacecraft prove that Artemis II is more than just a mission of four brave astronauts—it is a journey for all of humanity. By carrying a piece of our social identity around the Moon, NASA has bridged the gap between Earth and deep space, ensuring that as we take our next giant leap into the future, we do so together.
With the lessons learned from this historic flyby, the focus now shifts entirely to the upcoming Artemis missions that will see humans land on the lunar surface and to ultimately establish a staging ground for Mars missions. Artemis II has officially closed the five-decade gap since Apollo, proving that humanity is not just visiting space again—we are preparing to stay.