{"id":464256,"date":"2026-05-02T02:43:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T02:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/464256\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T02:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T02:43:11","slug":"artemis-ii-crew-surprises-5-year-old-who-went-viral-during-their-mission-and-one-of-the-astronauts-gets-a-hug-in-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/464256\/","title":{"rendered":"Artemis II Crew Surprises 5-Year-Old Who Went Viral During Their Mission \u2014 and One of the Astronauts Gets a Hug in Return"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Artemis II crew surprised 5-year-old Jack, a space superfan, with a signed flight suit<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"mb-4\">\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Jack, who went viral for his love of space during Artemis II&#8217;s launch from the Kennedy Space Center, received a special surprise from all four crew members during a CBS town hall event<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ml-4 list-disc\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Artemis II mission marked the first crewed moon trip since 1972 and set a record for farthest human travel distance<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/nutella-flies-through-artemis-ii-spacecraft-in-viral-moment-caught-on-livestream-11945080\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:Artemis II;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Artemis II<\/a> crew had a big surprise in store for an aspiring astronaut!<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On Friday, May 1, a 5-year-old boy named Jack \u2014 who went viral when he was interviewed during their launch when he adorably said he was &#8220;so obsessed with space&#8221; \u2014 received a special surprise in the form of a signed orange flight suit, just like the one the astronauts wore during their mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen gave him the signed suit during a <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CBSMornings\/status\/2050210127106461874?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:CBS Sunday Mornings town hall;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">CBS Sunday Mornings town hall<\/a>, which was hosted by Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil. He even earned himself a nickname from Koch: &#8220;Commander Jack.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We would like to have you on our team, what do you think?&#8221; Koch asked during the adorable encounter, to which Jack replied with a nod before giving the NASA astronaut a big hug.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Jack&#8217;s mother said that her son&#8217;s emotional reaction made her feel &#8220;amazing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We&#8217;re so incredibly thankful,&#8221; she shared. &#8220;Jack has been hugely inspired by this mission and by all of you, so thank you so much for everything you&#8217;re doing \u2014 obviously not just for Jack, but for all of humanity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Vladimir Duthiers, Gayle King, Jack, Nate Burleson, Tony Dokoupil and the live audience for CBS MORNINGS PRESENTS: ARTEMIS II A CELEBRATION OF HEROES.Credit: Gail Schulman\/CBS Mornings\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/94f1d8d413230128305ae21407cc5fa2.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Vladimir Duthiers, Gayle King, Jack, Nate Burleson, Tony Dokoupil and the live audience for CBS MORNINGS PRESENTS: ARTEMIS II A CELEBRATION OF HEROES.<br \/>Credit: Gail Schulman\/CBS Mornings<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Jack was interviewed several times during the course of the Artemis II mission, including during the launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, and <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CBSNews\/status\/2042801513228091575?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:again when the astronauts returned to Earth safely;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">again when the astronauts returned to Earth safely<\/a>, per CBS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The group of four astronauts <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/artemis-ii-crew-returns-to-earth-splashdown-pacific-ocean-11937629\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:splashed down off the coast of San Diego;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">splashed down off the coast of San Diego<\/a> on Friday, April 10, after making a historic trip around the moon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">During the adventure, which <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/artemis-ii-launches-in-historic-flight-to-far-side-of-moon-11938618\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:marked the first time astronauts headed to the moon;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">marked the first time astronauts headed to the moon<\/a> since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, \u00a0the Artemis II crew <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/artemis-ii-astronauts-will-briefly-lose-contact-with-earth-during-historic-mission-heres-why-11943502\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:set a record;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">set a record<\/a> for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, breaking the previous mark of 248,655 miles by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><strong>Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for <\/strong><a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/people-news-daily-newsletter-sign-up-8692701\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:PEOPLE&#039;s free daily newsletter;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>PEOPLE&#8217;s free daily newsletter<\/strong><\/a><strong> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Jack, Gayle King, Vladimir Duthiers, Tony Dokoupil and NASA Astronaut Christina Koch for CBS MORNINGS PRESENTS: ARTEMIS II A CELEBRATION OF HEROES.Credit: Gail Schulman\/CBS Mornings\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/8f62107c68b760ea6c903671932d2ed2.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jack, Gayle King, Vladimir Duthiers, Tony Dokoupil and NASA Astronaut Christina Koch for CBS MORNINGS PRESENTS: ARTEMIS II A CELEBRATION OF HEROES.<br \/>Credit: Gail Schulman\/CBS Mornings<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The trip took on a poignant turn when the Artemis II crew<a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/artemis-ii-astronauts-moon-crater-named-mission-commander-late-wife-11944176\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:named a newly discovered moon crater as Carroll,;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"> named a newly discovered moon crater as Carroll,<\/a> after Wiseman&#8217;s wife who died of cancer in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It was the first crewed flight of the NASA-led Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the moon for the first time since 1972.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">During a press conference in Houston on April 11, Koch <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" class=\"link \" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/artemis-ii-astronaut-christina-koch-message-for-earth-after-historic-flight-11948205\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:opened up;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\">opened up<\/a> about the support of her crewmates during the mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;A crew is a group that is in it all the time, no matter what, that is stroking together every minute with the same purpose, that is willing to sacrifice silently for each other, that gives grace, that holds accountable,&#8221; said Koch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Koch said that the trip reminded her that we are all a &#8220;lifeboat hanging undisturbingly in the universe.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I know I haven&#8217;t learned everything that this journey has yet to teach me, but there&#8217;s one new thing I know,&#8221; she concluded. &#8220;And that is, planet Earth, you are a crew.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Read the original article on <a data-yga=\"{\" ylinkelement=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/artemis-ii-crew-surprises-5-year-old-aspiring-astronaut-who-went-viral-during-mission-11964572\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"elm:link;elmt:article_link;slk:People;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">People<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEED TO KNOW The Artemis II crew surprised 5-year-old Jack, a space superfan, with a signed flight suit&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":464257,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[270],"tags":[127958,189931,157157,18,19,17,7966,134023,133,451],"class_list":{"0":"post-464256","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-artemis-ii","9":"tag-christina-koch","10":"tag-crew-members","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-ie","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-kennedy-space-center","15":"tag-reid-wiseman","16":"tag-science","17":"tag-space"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116502685731083084","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=464256"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464256\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/464257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=464256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=464256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=464256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}