From a trip to the moon to a trip to the White House: The astronauts who captivated the world during NASA's Artemis II mission landed next to President Donald Trump for a brief celebration of their achievement.
Trump, who has often touted the mission as emblematic of his objectives for space exploration in his second term, welcomed the four Artemis II crew members Wednesday, April 29, to the Oval Office.
The high-profile meeting came nearly three weeks after the astronauts returned from a 10-day journey that saw them swing around the moon without landing and travel farther from Earth than any humans before them. As a test flight under NASA's Artemis campaign, the mission helped set the stage for a future moon landing – which Trump has said he wants to see before his term comes to an end.
Here's what to know about the White House meeting, and what Trump had to say about the Artemis II astronauts as NASA's moon program heats up.
Trump hosted a celebratory meeting and news conference Wednesday, April 29, with the Artemis II astronauts at the White House.
