Artemis II pilot describes landing in Orion: “From intense to pure elation”

Following their successful mission around the Moon, the Artemis II crew held a media briefing on Thursday, sharing insights from their journey just six days after landing back on Earth. Among the astronauts, Victor Glover, the pilot of the Orion spacecraft, spoke with Ars about his experiences during this historic flight. Glover, a seasoned naval aviator, previously ventured into space in November 2020 as the pilot for the inaugural operational Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station. Now, as a key figure in the Artemis program, he is part of NASA's ambitious initiative to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence there. During the conversation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Glover detailed the hands-on controls of Orion in contrast to the touchscreen interfaces of the Dragon spacecraft. "I was really thrilled to have a translational hand controller on Orion," he expressed, highlighting his preference for the traditional controls. When discussing the performance of Orion, Glover remarked that the actual experience surpassed the simulations he had undergone. He noted that the spacecraft's responsiveness during flight was remarkable, describing the feel of the controls as more akin to navigating a pickup truck on a dirt road rather than the expected simulation sounds. "The integrated system flew so much better than the sim," he concluded, praising the team's hard work and the spacecraft's design. Glover’s reflections not only showcase the advancements in space technology but also underscore the excitement and challenges of piloting a spacecraft during such a pivotal mission for humanity's return to lunar exploration.