Why this exists

Artemis II is more than a mission. It brings us together, inspires us, and moves us. We have sent four of our best into unseen space, four incredible humans carrying humanity farther than ever before. Their eyes will witness what most of us can only dream of. This mission, this crew, and everyone who has worked on this extraordinary achievement have my deepest admiration and gratitude. As these four courageous people left Earth, they made us look up and wonder again what lies beyond the side of the Moon we cannot see. In many ways, they have brought light into the dark and shown us new perspectives of our world. They have carried earthly love into space and left its mark on the Moon. This crew has honored the sacrifices of the past in the most human way possible, including all those who cannot witness this moment. They have inspired future generations and, in doing so, stopped the present in its tracks.

I fell in love with space when I was young, and somewhere along the way I lost that connection. Artemis II brought something back that I had lost. This mission has brought tears to my eyes more than once. It made me proud to be human. It reignited my curiosity, my sense of wonder, and my love for space. I feel as though I am with them in deep space, as though we all are.

This project exists because I saw so many people come together in admiration of this mission, and I wanted to give that admiration a place. A place for people around the world to express what it means to them, whether it inspired them, moved them, gave them hope, or reminded them of what they once dreamed of. These letters are a testament to our humanity and what we can achieve when we come together as one.

We were awaiting your safe return, Artemis II. Now we welcome you back home with tears of joy.

I want to express my gratitude to Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover. I want to express my gratitude to each and every single person who has contributed to this project and to all agencies working on this project. I believe these people deserve all the gratitude we can send them from our home planet.

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