Students at University of Minnesota's aerospace engineering and mechanics program ecstatic of Artemis launch
Excitement was high at the University of Minnesota as students prepared to watch NASA's Artemis II mission launch toward the moon.
"I'd say on a scale from 1 to 10, I'm like a fifteen right now," Mel Nightingale said, laughing.
"It's really fun seeing something we've heard about, even since high school, finally become a reality," Keegan Bunker added.
Bunker and Nightingale are Ph.D. students in the university's aerospace engineering and mechanics program.
The pair organized a watch party with faculty and staff as Artemis II blasted off, marking a major milestone in NASA's return to lunar exploration. For them, the mission was more than just a historic moment; it was rocket fuel for personal motivation.
"It really motivates you to kind of reaffirm like yes, I want to work in this field. That's why I'm putting in this hard work. It makes it all worth it," Bunker said.
"Seeing stuff that's similar to what we've been studying in school being tested and executed, it's kind of like a preview for our future careers," Nightingale added.
That preview may soon extend into the classroom.
"I'm sure professors will be using this launch on midterms and finals," Nightingale said, laughing. "So that excitement might go down a little bit."
The Artemis II mission also marked several historic firsts. Pilot Victor Glover was set to become the first African American to complete a lunar flyby. Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen was the first Canadian to travel beyond Earth's orbit, and mission specialist Christina Hammock Koch was set to become the first woman to fly around the moon.
Nightingale said that representation in spaceflight matters.
"This diverse astronaut crew is something I think is really special because it kind of confirms that there's a place for everyone within STEM, especially," Nightingale said.
Both students said they were proud to be part of a program with strong ties to the space industry, noting that several University of Minnesota alumni have gone on to become astronauts and key personnel with NASA and other space programs.
"I just want to yell from the rooftops about how amazing this department is. The alumni, the faculty, the teaching, it's fantastic," Bunker said. "And I'll be proud to call myself an alum."
