Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) leaders were in Florida last week to witness the historic launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, which includes RPI alumnus Reid Wiseman ’97 as its commander. 

RPI President Marty Schmidt ’81 described the experience as unforgettable. “Feeling the rumble beneath my feet and watching the rocket soar into the sky was awe-inspiring, but what made it truly personal was hearing RPI alumnus Reid Wiseman’s voice communicating with NASA, both before launch and in those critical moments after takeoff,” he said. 

President Schmidt also spoke to the emotional weight of the countdown. “Listening as the crew worked through last-minute challenges before takeoff gave me a deep appreciation for the complexity of the mission and I felt relieved as we watched the rocket sail off into the distance,” he said. “It was a powerful reminder that exploration is driven as much by human ingenuity as it is by courage, and a moment of immense RPI pride knowing one of our own was part of it.”  

RPI Provost Rebecca Doerge, who also attended the launch, called it a humbling experience. “Being at the launch was inspiring in a way that’s hard to put into words,” she said. “Witnessing a mission built on decades of scientific progress, and knowing an RPI alumnus was leading it, made the experience feel both personal and profound.” 

Doerge reflected om the scale of the mission: “Four humans traveling 250,000 miles to the Moon and back…it’s almost beyond comprehension and a powerful reminder of how exploration can inspire the next generation to reach for the unknown.” 

The Artemis II mission marked a new chapter in human space exploration, with RPI’s involvement highlighting the university’s long-standing connection to NASA and its role in training the next generation of explorers.