Artemis II crew shares lunar experience & SpaceX Starship test flight succeeds - Space News (May 5, 2026)

Let's start with the crew that just made history. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen returned from humanity's first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. In interviews this morning, they shared what it was like to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 39 and witness the lunar far side — the part of the moon we never see from Earth. Christina Koch described how profound the experience was, noting that there was a part of them that felt left behind on the moon because of what they got to see. The team also discussed the moment recovery teams opened their capsule hatch after splashdown. Even small details like the air in that cabin reminded them they'd just returned from an incredible journey to the edge of space.

In other space developments today, SpaceX's Starship program continues advancing toward its next major milestone. Earlier today, Starship serial number 15, or SN15, completed its fifth high-altitude flight test from SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas. The vehicle demonstrated the latest upgrades the company has integrated into its design, bringing them closer to achieving orbital flights and ultimately supporting crewed lunar missions through NASA's Artemis program.

If you're planning to look up at the night sky tonight or tomorrow morning, you're going to want to set an alarm. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is reaching its peak right now. These are fast-moving, brilliant meteors that come from the debris trail of Halley's Comet. Under the right conditions, you could see up to 50 meteors per hour streaking across the sky. The best viewing window is in the hours before dawn, so if you can manage an early morning wake-up, head somewhere dark away from city lights and give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust. Keep in mind that this year a bright moon might make some of the fainter meteors harder to spot, but the brighter ones should still put on an impressive display.

Finally, if you've been watching the evening sky, you've probably noticed two particularly bright points of light that keep getting closer. Venus and Jupiter have been gradually moving together throughout May, and they're continuing their slow dance across the western sky. Both planets remain easy to spot just after sunset, and as the month progresses they'll keep drawing nearer. They're lining up for a spectacular close approach on June 9th, when they'll appear just 1.6 degrees apart. If you want to track this celestial event, now's a perfect time to start watching their nightly positions.