posted 08-11-2026 06:35 PM               

Artemis II Astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch Visit the Cosmosphere

The Cosmosphere welcomed Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, along with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, for a special visit to the museum on Tuesday, August 11, following the successful completion of NASA's historic Artemis II mission.

Commander Wiseman has called the Cosmosphere the "greatest space museum on planet Earth," making this visit following the successful Artemis II mission especially meaningful. Their visit celebrated the accomplishments of Artemis II while highlighting the enduring connection between America's space program and one of the nation's premier space museums.

Artemis II was NASA's first crewed mission under the Artemis campaign and humanity's return to deep space for the first time since the Apollo era. The mission carried Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. The successful flight demonstrated the spacecraft's systems with astronauts on board and laid the groundwork for the future of the Artemis program, with the goal of returning humanity to the lunar surface as we prepare for future exploration of Mars.

During their visit, Wiseman, Koch, and Senator Moran toured the Cosmosphere's world-renowned collection of space artifacts, explored the museum's exhibits and educational facilities. The visit underscored the institution's role in preserving the history of space exploration while Inspiring the Future through Space Exploration.

The afternoon concluded with a reception in the Fee Learning Center, where Wiseman and Koch participated in a moderated question-and-answer session. Invited guests and members of the media had the opportunity to hear firsthand about their experiences aboard Artemis II, the challenges and triumphs of the mission, and NASA's plans for the future of human spaceflight.

The Cosmosphere would like to thank Senator Jerry Moran and his staff for their dedication to the Cosmosphere and our mission, and for their assistance in hosting this event.