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Planetary Radio • May 01, 2026

Space Policy Edition: Why humans matter — The philosophy of Artemis II

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On This Episode

Rebecca lowe portrait

Rebecca Lowe

Philosophy Senior Research Fellow for Mercatus Center

Casey dreier tps mars

Casey Dreier

Chief of Space Policy for The Planetary Society

When Artemis II returned its crew safely to Earth, millions of people found themselves unexpectedly moved. The mission was a test flight, a proof-of-concept, and yet it felt like something far greater than the sum of its parts.

In this episode, Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, sits down with Rebecca Lowe, philosophy senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to explore the deeper meaning of humanity's return to deep space. Drawing on philosophy of mind, aesthetics, and theories of value, they unpack why human presence in space feels fundamentally different from even the most sophisticated robotic mission, and why that difference matters.

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We watch in tears as Artemis II lifts off The Planetary Society's Asa Stahl and Ambre Trujillo were in Cape Canaveral to watch the launch of Artemis II. This was their emotional reaction to witnessing the rocket take off.

Artemis II: A flash in the pan?
Artemis II: A flash in the pan? Image: The Planetary Society
Watching the Artemis II launch
Watching the Artemis II launch Guests at the Banana Creek viewing site watched the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission to the Moon.Image: NASA/Keegan Barber
Artemis II crew hug
Artemis II crew hug The Artemis II crew shares a group hug the day after their flyby of the Moon. The crew said in one interview that the thing they will miss most about their time in space is each other. They had been training together for their mission for the past three years.Image: NASA
Christina Koch views Earth from Orion
Christina Koch views Earth from Orion NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch looks at Earth from the window of the Orion spacecraft on its way to the Moon during the Artemis II mission. At the time, Christina was already farther away than any woman has ever been from our planet.Image: NASA
Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen post-flight
Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen post-flight Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman (in orange, left) and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen (in orange, right) radiate happiness as they sit on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after concluding their successful mission around the Moon.Image: NASA
Victor Glover and Christina Koch post-flight
Victor Glover and Christina Koch post-flight Artemis II pilot Victor Glover (in orange, left) and mission specialist Christina Koch (in orange, right) are all smiles as they celebrate their successful mission around the Moon from the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha.Image: NASA
A hug for a home away from home
A hug for a home away from home Astronaut Christina Koch gives a big hug of appreciation to the Orion spacecraft the day after it brought her and her crewmates safely back to Earth.Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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