Exploring the Next Giant Leap: My Experience at NASA’s Artemis II Partnerships Summit

This September, I had the incredible opportunity to represent Challenger Center at NASA’s Artemis II Partnerships Summit at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The event brought together organizations committed to inspiring the next generation of explorers—the young people who will help take humanity back to the Moon, on to Mars, and beyond.

A Front-Row Seat to the Artemis II Mission

The summit kicked off with a live news conference featuring the Artemis II crew, followed by a Q&A session where we had the chance to connect directly with the astronauts who will soon orbit the Moon.

“The thing I love about the Moon is that it’s not just a beacon for exploration and this platform of possibilities for incredible missions like this, but it has benefits. That’s why we’re racing toward it,” said Christina Koch, astronaut and engineer assigned as a Mission Specialist on the Artemis II mission. “You have inspiration. A whole generation of people starting this pipeline of STEM workers…that are excited to see what you can do when you work hard and when you come together as a team.”

Hearing the astronauts’ stories and feeling their enthusiasm was incredibly inspiring. It’s one thing to read about the Artemis program, but it’s entirely different to sit beside the people who will bring the mission to life and feel their excitement firsthand. It was a great reminder that Artemis II is more than just a mission; it’s a global moment of inspiration and a call to action for the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.

Building Partnerships That Inspire

Throughout the summit, leaders from NASA’s Office of Communications and Office of STEM Engagement shared how collaboration with organizations like Challenger Center helps expand NASA’s reach and impact.

One of my favorite sessions was a panel discussion focused on how we can work together to tell the Artemis story and inspire students and communities everywhere. We explored tools, content, and partnership opportunities designed to bring the excitement of space exploration into classrooms and beyond.

Behind the Scenes at Johnson Space Center

The second day was nothing short of unforgettable with a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, a hub of human spaceflight innovation and history. Some of the highlights included:

Apollo Mission Control Center: It’s preserved exactly as it appeared during Apollo 11, and even from the viewing area, seeing that historic space was a powerful reminder of how vision, teamwork, and perseverance can change the course of history.

International Space Station Flight Control Room: Watching controllers support astronauts in real time was fascinating. The focus and precision in that room are unmatched.

White Flight Control Room: A glimpse into NASA’s modern mission control where teams plan, test, and simulate systems that will support future Moon and Mars missions.

Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL): The massive 6.2-million-gallon pool where astronauts train for spacewalks was jaw-dropping. We even got to see divers and trainers who were working in the pool.

Space Vehicle Mockup Facility: This huge hangar filled with full-scale spacecraft mockups, like the ISS and Soyuz, lets astronauts practice every move before launch. We even got to sit in the Orion capsule simulator!

Rocket Park: Standing beneath the towering Saturn V rocket was the perfect ending. You can’t help but feel small next to the machine that carried humanity’s first explorers to the Moon.

Each stop on the tour reminded me why hands-on learning and immersive experiences matter so much. Seeing firsthand the spaces and tools that researchers and scientists are using to break barriers in space exploration was powerful. What I felt was the same kind of awe that students feel when they step into a Challenger Center simulator. Being there makes the wonder of space science and STEM tangible. That kind of inspiring and riveting experience is at the heart of Challenger Center’s mission.

Inspiring the Artemis Generation

As NASA prepares for the Artemis II launch, I’m proud that Challenger Center is part of the effort to connect this historic mission to students around the world. Through our network of Challenger Learning Centers, we’ll continue to share Artemis stories and inspire students to dream big, reach higher, and explore farther.