Alex McColgan

We did it.

We have returned to the moon.

After 54 years, setting foot on our moon had become a distant memory.

All that was left to remind us we ever visited was a collection of grainy film reels, some iconic photographs, and a few hundred kilograms of lunar rock.

But on the 1st of April, 2026, that changed.

We went back.

Not boots on the ground yet, but in the vicinity at least.

And Artemis II wasn't just a repeat of Apollo.

It was a total reimagining of how we explore.

From high-definition laser streams to real-time observations of meteors slamming into the lunar crust, this 10-day voyage has revealed our closest celestial neighbour in ways we've never seen before.

But every step into the unknown comes with risk.

Between critical engine leaks and malfunctioning life support, not all was as smooth as it seemed.

I'm Alex McColgan and you're watching Astrum.

Join me today as we leave Earth and head back to the Moon.

We'll look at the triumphs, the discoveries, and the narrow escapes of the Artemis II mission, paving the way for our return to the Moon.

On the 1st of April 2026, at 6.35pm EDT, the countdown reached zero, and humanity was on its way back to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

The SLS rocket produced a staggering 39.1 million newtons of thrust.

as it set off from the launch complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, pushing the integrity capsule through the sound barrier within seconds.

Inside, Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen were pressed into their seats by forces reaching nearly 4 Gs.

Artemis II