The first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov commented to bTV on the return to Earth of Artemis II. The first manned mission to the Moon in the new century successfully returned after a 10-day flight.
The crew - Reed Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, remains in history as the first to travel a record 406,771 kilometers from Earth.
After the success of Artemis II, NASA is looking to its next big goal - a permanent human presence on the Moon.
"Welcome Home: „Artemis II". Dear friends, colleagues and dreamers,
On behalf of the generation that paved the first paths in the vastness of Space, and as a person who has experienced the magic and harshness of orbital flight, I would like to express my immense excitement about the success of the “Artemis II“ mission.
Today we are not just marking the end of a successful expedition. Today we are celebrating the return of the human spirit to where it belongs – among the stars”, commented Georgi Ivanov.
"With particular excitement and pride, I would like to mention one name that connects our homeland directly with the success of “Artemis II“ – that of Eng. Petko Dinev, a worthy student of the legendary Theodosi Teodosiev – Theo, whose unique cameras made us direct witnesses of this historic flight.
It has been 54 years since the last manned mission to the Moon (Apollo 17 in 1972). For more than half a century, our natural satellite awaited us in silence. For many of us, this seemed like a too long pause, but today, thanks to the efforts of NASA and international cooperation, we prove that the dream has never faded.
Space knows no boundaries, it belongs to all of us. May the steps of the crew of “Artemis II“ be just the beginning of a new era, in which the Moon will become our second home and a research base for future generations," Georgi Ivanov also shared.
"I congratulate the crew for the courage and professionalism shown. "Your mission has revived faith in human possibilities and reminded us that when we look up, we see not only stars, but also our common future. Good luck to new horizons," added the first Bulgarian cosmonaut.