The Christian Symbol That Brought The Artemis II Commander To Tears

Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman described the moment he called for the ship’s chaplain at the end of the historic lunar mission, saying that even though he did not think of himself as terribly religious, he “broke down in tears” when he saw the cross on the officer’s collar.

Wiseman and his crewmates sat for a joint interview that aired on Fox News on Thursday evening, and the mission commander tried to explain what had been going through his mind at the time as he struggled to grasp the enormity of what he and his team had just witnessed.

WATCH:

NEW: Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman reflects on being MOVED to tears by the Christian cross after returning to Earth from the historic expedition:

“When I got back on the on the ship — I’m not really a religious person — but there was just no other avenue for me to explain… pic.twitter.com/yk2JBIkxrN

— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 16, 2026

“When I got back on the on the ship — I’m not really a religious person — but there was just no other avenue for me to explain anything or to experience anything,” Wiseman said of the moment they were retrieved from the Orion capsule after splashdown.

“So, I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute, and when that man walked in, I’d never met him before in my life. But I saw the cross on his collar, and I just broke down in tears,” he continued. “It’s very hard to fully grasp what we just went through.”

Wiseman also issued a challenge to the world, saying that it was very easy in today’s society to get used to a more passive existence – but that progress depended on embracing hard work.

“We’re starting to lose scope as a society that you do have to go do things. You have to go do really hard, really challenging things,” he said. “We have got to get our hands out there and engaged — our hands, and our minds have got to be engaged.”

NOW: Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman shares an inspirational message to those who want to become astronauts and all of society as a whole:

“We’re starting to lose scope as a society that you do have to go do things. You have to go do really hard, really challenging things.”… pic.twitter.com/yNjI4QTGaN

— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 16, 2026

Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, in contrast, took every possible opportunity throughout the mission to express his faith and to point to God. He delivered a brief Easter message from space, and then another one just before the mission lost contact.

“Christ said in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are … He said the second … that is to love your neighbor as yourself,” Glover said.

JUST IN: Astronaut Victor Glover shares the Gospel from Artemis II before losing communication.

“Christ said in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are.”

“He said the second … that is to love your neighbor as yourself.”

The… pic.twitter.com/9xErKPxmQU

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 6, 2026