Baltimore County classmates gather for Reid Wiseman's historic moon launch on Artemis II
Friends and classmates cheered as Baltimore County native Reid Wiseman launched into space for a moon mission aboard Artemis II on Wednesday.
Members of the Delaney High School Class of 1993, the year Wiseman graduated, gathered at Mother's Grille in Timonium for a watch party to see the historic liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Wiseman is the Mission Commander on his four-person Artemis II crew. They will orbit the Earth twice before circling the moon and returning to Earth on a nine-day mission.
The mission could pave the way for planned moon landings in 2028 and the construction of a lunar base near the moon's south pole.
"We are all so proud of him," said Kristin Chottiner, a close friend of Wiseman. "It couldn't be more magical."
Wiseman, who was selected to join NASA's astronaut corps in 2009, graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, before earning his Master's degree in Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He is a 27-year Navy veteran.
Steve Shaw, a science teacher at Delaney High, said Wiseman has sent videos and pictures to students during his time with NASA and on the International Space Station.
"We asked him, could you make a video about science? And he was just so spot on with, 'I love science,'" said Shaw. "It comes out with everything he does."
Celebrations across the state
Hundreds also gathered at NASA's facility in Greenbelt, Maryland, to watch liftoff.
"It's the beginning of a journey," said Mehdi Venna, a NASA Planetary Scientist. "Most people go home, now we follow this mission for the next 10 days and we'll be obviously happier when that parachute opens and these guys splash down in the Pacific Ocean."
Blasting off into the future
As all eyes now wait to see the descent of Artemis II into the Pacific Ocean, Wiseman's friends understand the impact his journey will have on many generations to come.
"It's unbelievable. He's paving the way," said Chottiner. "I know how much that means to him too and to science and NASA and to all the future generations, and he's just so excited to be part of such an epic time."
