Heads up: opening this section reveals every question, every option, and the correct answer for this round. If you came here to play, scroll up and hit Play first.
Question 1: What historic record did the Artemis II crew break during their lunar flyby?
- Longest time in deep space
- Farthest distance from Earth by humans
- Fastest crewed spacecraft speed
- Most orbits around the Moon
Answer: B. Farthest distance from Earth by humans
Explanation: The Artemis II crew reached 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13's 1970 record of 248,655 miles — making them the farthest humans have ever traveled from our planet.
Question 2: Who became the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit on Artemis II?
- Sally Ride
- Christina Koch
- Peggy Whitson
- Jessica Watkins
Answer: B. Christina Koch
Explanation: Christina Koch, who already holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days on the ISS), became the first woman to venture beyond low Earth orbit on Artemis II.
Question 3: What name did the Artemis II crew give to their Orion spacecraft?
- Liberty
- Integrity
- Discovery
- Endurance
Answer: B. Integrity
Explanation: The crew named their Orion spacecraft Integrity to represent trust, respect, candor, humility, and the integrated effort behind the mission.
Question 4: Which country, other than the United States, had an astronaut aboard Artemis II?
- Japan
- Germany
- Canada
- United Kingdom
Answer: C. Canada
Explanation: Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency became the first Canadian on a lunar mission, representing Canada's partnership in the Artemis program.
Question 5: About how fast was Orion traveling when it entered Earth's atmosphere during reentry?
- About 5,000 mph
- About 17,500 mph
- About 25,000 mph
- About 35,000 mph
Answer: C. About 25,000 mph
Explanation: Orion entered Earth's atmosphere at roughly 25,000 mph. NASA's live coverage described the spacecraft as traveling about 35 times the speed of sound before it slowed through reentry.
Question 6: What ablative material formed the outer surface of Orion's heat shield?
- Carbon fiber tiles
- Reinforced ceramic
- Avcoat
- Titanium alloy
Answer: C. Avcoat
Explanation: Orion's 16.5-foot heat shield used 186 Avcoat blocks. During reentry, the ablative material burned away in a controlled way to carry heat away as external temperatures approached 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Question 7: How much total thrust did the SLS rocket produce at liftoff?
- 4.4 million pounds
- 6.2 million pounds
- 8.8 million pounds
- 12.1 million pounds
Answer: C. 8.8 million pounds
Explanation: The SLS generated an incredible 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, combining the power of two 177-foot solid rocket boosters and four RS-25 engines.
Question 8: Victor Glover made history on Artemis II as the first Black astronaut to do what?
- Walk in space
- Command a spacecraft
- Travel beyond low Earth orbit
- Dock with the ISS
Answer: C. Travel beyond low Earth orbit
Explanation: Victor Glover, the Artemis II pilot, became the first Black astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit, more than half a century after Apollo 17.
Question 9: Where did Artemis II splash down?
- Gulf of Mexico near Houston
- Atlantic Ocean near Cape Canaveral
- Pacific Ocean near San Diego
- Pacific Ocean near Hawaii
Answer: C. Pacific Ocean near San Diego
Explanation: Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego. Recovery teams extracted the crew in open water and flew them by helicopter to USS John P. Murtha.
Question 10: Which mission was the last to carry humans beyond low Earth orbit before Artemis II?
- Apollo 17 in 1972
- Skylab 4 in 1974
- Apollo-Soyuz in 1975
- STS-1 in 1981
Answer: A. Apollo 17 in 1972
Explanation: Apollo 17 returned to Earth in December 1972. NASA described Artemis II's April 2026 return as the first time humans had ventured beyond low Earth orbit in 53 years.