Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman praised SpaceX founder Elon Musk on Saturday after the crew spotted Mars during their lunar flyby, saying there is “zero doubt” humans will reach the planet soon.
Historic Deep-Space Reflection
In a post on X, Wiseman thanked Musk and described the four-person crew’s experience during the mission.
“Thank you, @elonmusk – the four of us glimpsed the red hues of Mars far in the distance as the sun slipped behind the Moon and there was zero doubt in our minds that the creative genius of our greatest minds will have us there very soon,” he said.
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Thank you, @elonmusk – the four of us glimpsed the red hues of Mars far in the distance as the sun slipped behind the Moon and there was zero doubt in our minds that the creative genius of our greatest minds will have us there very soon. LETS GO
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) April 11, 2026
NASA Advances Moon Plans, Musk Eyes Lunar City
On Friday, NASA’s Artemis II mission ended with a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean after a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon, marking a key step toward future lunar exploration.
The Orion spacecraft landed at about 8:07 p.m. ET after traveling roughly 694,000 miles, including a close lunar flyby.
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Earlier this month, the crew, Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, completed the first crewed trip toward the Moon since Apollo 17 and the first using NASA’s Space Launch System rocket.
Though the mission did not land, it served as a critical test for future lunar flights.
Separately, Elon Musk said SpaceX had shifted focus toward building a self-sustaining city on the Moon, arguing that faster launch cycles make lunar development more practical than Mars, while still maintaining long-term Mars plans.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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