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─────── April 11, 2026 ───────
Happy Saturday!
Artemis II splashed down off the coast of San Diego last night, wrapping up ten days in deep space and becoming the first humans to travel to the vicinity of the moon since 1972.
It’s pretty incredible. And naturally, you’ve been asking: Why? What’s actually up there? Who’s paying for this? And what does China have to do with it?
Let’s get into it.
New here? TPO Explains does a shallow dive into your most-asked questions every Saturday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Down through the years, I turned to the Bible and found in it all that I needed.”
Ruth Graham
BREWING QUESTIONS
WHAT YOU’RE ASKING
What is Artemis II?
NASA’s first crewed deep-space mission since Apollo.
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen launched on April 1, looped around the moon, and then splashed back down yesterday. Monday afternoon, they broke the record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth: ~252,760 miles, topping Apollo 13’s (unintentional) 1970 record.
Didn’t we already go to the moon?
The Apollo program (the moon landing missions) was essentially a series of camping trips: plant the flag, collect some rocks, come home.
And Artemis II never touched the moon.
Then what was the point?
NASA’s real target is the lunar south pole, where shadowed craters hold deposits of water ice (exactly what it sounds like [unless you’re from Philly]) that can be broken down into rocket fuel. The vision: an outpost that functions as a refueling station for deeper space missions.
But the long game isn’t the moon… It’s Mars.
Artemis II was more of a dress rehearsal, testing out the hardware for an eventual main event.
So who’re we racing against?
China, which plans to land on the moon by 2030. Whoever gets to the lunar south pole first gets to choose where to build infrastructure.
Think: less flag planting and more claiming a harbor.
What does it cost?
A lot. The Artemis II rocket and capsule alone cost more than $44B to develop, each mission requires another ~$4B to fly, and the full Artemis program has already topped $90B.
So, when will we actually land on the moon again?
Artemis III (2027) is staying in low Earth orbit to test the lunar landers (spacecraft designed to touchdown on the moon). An actual touchdown is targeted for Artemis IV in 2028… hopefully.
With lunar missions, timelines are a big guess.
Don’t forget to catch today’s episode of the TPO Explains podcast to dig a little deeper with us (voyage to the south pole of this email for the link).
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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The same psalmist who marveled at the moon and stars landed on a profound question: Why does God care about us at all? Yet He does… deeply. And for that, we offer Him praise!
“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor.”
Psalm 8:3-5 (CSB) (read full passage)
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HOUSE BLEND
WHAT YOU’LL ENJOY
Exploring (and solving) this week’s mini crossword.
This game of Tetris is… eggs-ellent.
Little candles with a big purpose. Started by TPO reader Stacy N., Oak Lane Candle Co. uses only the finest ingredients (plus a lil’ love) to pour high-quality candles that are more than just a source of light; they’re a reminder to celebrate the simple things.*
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WHAT YOU’VE BEAN CLICKING…
Top News Article: Artemis wasn’t the only thing breaking records this week… these never-before-seen, out-of-this-world pics of the far side of the moon became our most-clicked link ever.
Top Christian Perspective: A reminder of God’s closeness when you’re feeling small in a big, big world. Download and save it here.
Top Whipped Cream: The cutest lil street art we ever did see.
TAKE IT TO GO
WHAT WE’RE RECOMMENDING
What We’re Loving
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WHAT WE’RE PRAYING
A Prayer for Space Exploration
Creator of the Universe, we are humbled by the worlds You spoke into existence—their vastness, their beauty, their scope and detail. You sit enthroned even over the deepest reaches of space, reigning over planets’ tiltings and stars’ birthdays and comets’ paths. All that we have yet to discover, You know intimately. Where we have yet to explore, You have always been.
Creator of Humankind, You know our smallness and vulnerability. Thank You for protecting these pioneers as they entered a vast, harsh frontier. Thank You for holding together human technology so that it functions according to its design.
Let all who watch stand in awe of Your glory. May stargazers see it in the orderly pattern of the sky. May astronauts see it on the far side of the moon. May earth-dwellers see it in scientists’ reports and telescopes’ footage. Let all the earth stand in awe of You. Amen.
This prayer is an excerpt from TPO’s Sunday newsletter, Praying the News. For more reflection and prayer in your inbox tomorrow, subscribe for free here.
LEARN MORE WITH THE TPO TEAM
This week, Jason and Joe dug into why the moon landing is a conspiracy and why finding water ice is the next step to explorin’ Mars. Watch this week’s TPO Explains episode here (or just click Joe or Jason’s face below).
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