In Greek mythology, Artemis and Apollo are twin children of Zeus representing complementary forces: in celestial terms, Apollo is god of the sun, while Artemis is goddess of the moon. In fundamental ways, they balance each other, embodying mastery over both nature and civilization. For a longtime NASA nerd like me, these twins inspire renewed hope that we can rekindle our passion as a species for exploring the cosmos. Yes, the recent Artemis II mission not only thrilled us JFK-era old-timers but seems to have ignited a new generation of space geeks. Watching the Artemis II launch and splashdown with my wife and sons filled me with so much nostalgia it nearly took my breath away.

I remember July 20, 1969, very clearly. I was just a little kid, awed by the scope and speed and stakes associated with our race to beat the Soviets to the moon. I'd read everything I could find about NASA's pioneering efforts and the crazy-brave astronauts who pushed boundary after boundary on our behalf. Like most of the nation — and the world — I stared, mesmerized, at the television set with my whole family gathered round as we waited for Neil Armstrong's "giant leap for mankind." It was magical. In my youthful naivety, I genuinely believed that we had not reached the end of this amazing journey beyond Earth's gravity well but only the beginning. Everything seemed possible...and I dreamed of venturing into the darkling sea between planets myself some day. Was that when I became a voracious consumer of science fiction? Probably. When the Apollo program ended a few years later, I was crushed...but I never imagined it would take more than half a century for us to once again send humans to the moon.

My personal astronaut dreams are over. Instead of riding rockets toward the stars, I confine my cosmic explorations to the craft of storytelling, propelled by imagination. Not quite as dramatic as the SLS launch vehicle, but it's still a fun ride, one I've cherished. I do take solace from the way this Artemis II mission captured the attention of so many young people, though. Apollo fueled the dreams of my generation; I pray, with all my heart and soul, that Artemis can perform the same miracle for my sons and their peers. Technology seems to shrink the world these days. We need to believe that we can still expand our senses beyond the horizon, beyond the atmosphere, beyond even the solar system to discover secrets SF writers can't yet conceive. Long live NASA and the Artemis program!

For anyone who hasn't yet dived into the amazing images captured by Artemis II (like Earthset above), you can view them here: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-multimedia/#images