FOUR ASTRONAUTS ARE CONTINUING THEIR JOURNEY TO THE MOON ON THE ARTEMIS II MISSION.
THE TEN DAY LUNAR MISSION IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE APOLLO MISSIONS OF THE 1970’S THAT PEOPLE WILL CIRCLE THE MOON.
AUDREY SCHWARTZ RIVERS IS A SIOUX CITY NATIVE WHO WORKED WITH NASA UNTIL RETIRING A FEW YEARS AGO.
SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL DURING THE EARLY APOLLO MISSIONS AND IS EXCITED TO SEE THE U.S. RETURNING TO THE MOON:
AUDREY1 OC…..EXTREMELY FAST. :20
SCHWARTZ RIVERS SAYS THERE ARE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE ARTEMIS MISSION AND THE 1968 APOLLO 8 FLIGHT TO ORBIT THE MOON, THE FIRST FLIGHT OF HUMANS AWAY FROM EARTH:
AUDREY3 OC…….IN APOLLO 8. :25
SHE BEGAN WORKING IN THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON DURING THE SPACE SHUTTLE ERA , AND SAYS A LOT OF TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY WAS FIRST DESIGNED FOR USE DURING THAT PROGRAM AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION;
AUDREY2 OC……..TO THE WORLD. :12
SHE HOPES THE RESUMPTION OF MOON MISSIONS WILL SPUR RENEWED INTEREST IN NASA AND THE SPACE PROGRAM, BUT SAYS IT COSTS MONEY TO DO THIS AND WILL LIKELY NEED PRIVATE OR COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT:
AUDREY4 OC………CARED ANYMORE. :24
WORKING AT NASA WAS TRULY A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR SCHWARTZ RIVERS, WHO ATTENED THE FINAL TWO YEARS OF SIOUX CITY CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WAS IN THE FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF SIOUX CITY NORTH HIGH IN 1973.
AUDREY10 OC…..THROUGH THE SPACE STATION. ;22
CURRENT PLANS FOR AT LEAST ONE MOON LANDING, AND POTENTIALLY A SECOND, ARE SCHEDULED FOR 2028.
NASA image
