Teachers and students alike have joined in the space-craze that has swept the nation. This national obsession began its launch with the release of the film Project Hail Mary on March 20, and continued to spread after Artemis II orbited the moon from April 1 to 11.
It was the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972, and it captivated audiences as it broke records for its distance traveled. Sophomore Alex Herndon provides an insight into how she grew excited about Artemis II.
“It’s very historic,” Herndon said. “We hear stories of people watching the space race in school. Now, in my lifetime, there’s another historical space event going on.”
Currently, history-making events are often turmoil-filled. Science teacher Hayley Murdoch believes that part of the fascination towards Artemis II is a break from these intense and draining moments.
“There’s so many other things in the news bogging you down with negatives,” Murdoch said. “People can turn to hope and a cool thing that people are doing that hasn’t been done before.”
Another part of the national attraction towards Artemis II is simple; novelty.
“It’s interesting, and it’s new,” Herndon said. “If you go to a coffee store and get a cup of coffee every day, that’s not very exciting. If one day you get banana bread, that’s exciting because it’s a change from your everyday routine.”
Novelty is again a factor in the success enjoyed by Project Hail Mary, which has gathered over $523 million in box offices worldwide, with over $285 million in America alone. Murdoch believes its popularity is due to its ability to appeal to a wide range of audiences.
“It took complex scientific concepts and made it so everybody could understand,” Murdoch said. “It brought in the emotion; it brought in the sci-fi piece. There were different pieces that anybody who watched it could connect to. You didn’t have to be only into science or sci-fi.”
Other than its wide appeal, Murdoch believes that realistic connections contributed to the movie’s success.
“The movie did a great job at showing that we don’t actually know as much about space as we like to think that we do,” Murdoch said. “It made it feel almost realistic in the sense that this could actually be done, there could be this other type of being that has feelings out there that’s not human.”
Real-life missions like Artemis II also draw in a wide range of people across generations. Herndon and her parents have enjoyed watching the launches together and learning about the mission.
“We’re all fascinated by new innovations and current events,” Herndon said. “Interest in space doesn’t need to be defined by age. It’s the world we live in; no matter your age you still live in the same world.”
Sophomore Lucy Kuo believes that the widespread nature of news has assisted in this age-defying popularity.
“I think social media helps update people on current events because it forces it on them,” Kuo said. “For people who don’t seek out news and current events or don’t really care, social media helps it get on their radar.”
Space exploration provides a different perspective, without fear of political arguments or disagreements.
“Especially in a time where our political climate is very challenging and there’s a lot of polarization across the board, seeing something that had really nothing to do with politics gives hope for the future,” Murdoch said. “We can all applaud the work that’s being done, whatever side you’re on.”
As the divide between generations intensifies due to intensifying political views, events like these can provide apolitical discussions about the future.
“This gave a politically neutral field of hope for the older generations to see what younger generations can do, and younger generations could see that and have hope to see what could be done in the future,” Murdoch said.
Similar politically neutral events have been experienced by younger generations in years past, such as the tragic yet unifying launch and explosion of the Challenger in 1986.
“I remember I was sitting at the dinner table talking about Artemis II with my parents,” Kuo said. “We were talking about how we’re all absorbed into space missions, because when they were kids they all watched Challenger together in class. It creates a sense of community because we’re all watching the same thing.”
America’s obsession with space is about more than just curiosity; it’s community building, age-defying, and unifying. It provides a reprieve from an emotionally draining and divisive world and creates shared moments of wonder.
