Orion Spacecraft
The crew’s habitat, cockpit, and return vehicle—designed for deep-space environments and safe Earth re-entry.
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Artemis II • Successful launch
—
A note from SpaceDev
CONGRATULATIONS, NASA
& THE ARTEMIS II CREW
Today’s ascent is more than a launch—it’s proof that disciplined engineering, patient teamwork, and bold public purpose can still move the world. From SpaceDev, with deep respect and admiration: congratulations on a successful Artemis II mission lift-off.
From
SpaceDev Mission Teams
To
NASA & Artemis II Flight Crew
Launch moment
Artemis II — ascent captured in motion
Orbital glow
Tone
Ceremonial & precise
Focus
Crew + ground teams
OFFICIAL MESSAGE
A letter from SpaceDev leadership, written for the teams who built, tested, fueled, counted down, and flew Artemis II.
Published April 1, 2026
To Administrator, leadership, the Artemis Program, and the Artemis II crew—
Congratulations on a successful launch. What the world sees as minutes of fire and acceleration is, in truth, the result of years of quiet excellence: analysis that refuses shortcuts, procedures that protect the mission, and teams that show up—again and again—until the work is worthy of flight.
We want to recognize not only the vehicle and spacecraft, but the people behind them: the engineers who carried risk to zero, the technicians who made hardware real, the flight controllers who stayed calm when the clock mattered, and the crew whose professionalism turns ambition into execution.
Pull quote
“Artemis II is a reminder that the future isn’t imagined—it’s engineered, verified, and flown.”
With respect, SpaceDev
From our teams at SpaceDev: thank you for setting the bar—technically and culturally—for what human spaceflight can be. We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with you, and we’re ready to support the next one.
Signed
SpaceDev Leadership
Systems • Software • Mission Operations
April 1, 2026
SpaceDev — public congratulatory note
LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS
A quick mission-control snapshot—plus a couple of SpaceDev metrics that reflect what it takes to support a launch at this scale.
Measured in momentum, not hype
Mission type
CREWED
Human spaceflight demands operational rigor, redundancy, and absolute clarity—especially across interfaces.
Crew size
4
astronauts
Four seats, one shared discipline: keep the mission safe, repeatable, and worthy of trust.
Launch day
T+0
nominal ascent
A countdown is a culture: every call matters, every check is earned, every “go” is specific.
Mission duration
~10
days (planned)
Long enough to validate systems in deep space—and to prove the pathway for what comes next.
SpaceDev support
12+
teams aligned
Internal SpaceDev teams standing ready across software, verification, simulation, and mission operations support.
Partners coordinated
30+
interfaces tracked
A healthy mission is an interface story: requirements, telemetry, procedures, and decision paths kept coherent.
Mission view
A closer look at the world we’re exploring from above
Crew spotlight
A team built for precision, composure, and leadership
THE CREW
We celebrate the astronauts and the thousands of specialists who keep every decision grounded in safety.
Commander
Reid Wiseman
For steady leadership under pressure—and for keeping the mission’s standard uncompromising.
USA
Pilot
Victor Glover
For disciplined execution and team-first judgment—the kind that turns training into performance.
USA
Mission Specialist
Christina Koch
For technical excellence and calm curiosity—advancing the craft of living and working in space.
USA
Mission Specialist
Jeremy Hansen
For international partnership in action—proving exploration is strongest when shared.
Canada
MISSION CONTEXT
Artemis II is a systems story: spacecraft, launch vehicle, and ground operations working as a single integrated instrument.
Systems thinking, end-to-end
SLS Launch Vehicle
A heavy-lift system built to deliver crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit with power, margin, and reliability.
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Ground Systems
The unseen backbone—processing, integration, fueling, countdown discipline, comms, and mission rules that protect flight.
Learn moreMEDIA & LINKS
Curated NASA resources for Artemis II—press, multimedia, program context, and ongoing updates.
External resources (NASA)
NASA resource
Artemis Program
Explore overview
NASA resource
News & Releases
Read updates
NASA resource
Multimedia
Browse media
NASA resource
NASA Blogs
Follow stories
SpaceDev note
We link to NASA resources for accurate, primary-source mission information. SpaceDev is an independent company offering this congratulatory message in support of public exploration and the teams who make it real.