Gallagher intercepts Artemis II crew live in space en route to Moon: 'The kid inside wants to hoot'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A live television interview turned into a window into deep space as Fox News' Trace Gallagher, on Friday, April 3, spoke with astronauts aboard Artemis II while they traveled toward the Moon - a journey not attempted by humans in over five decades.

Just after completing a crucial maneuver, astronaut Reid Wiseman told viewers, “We did just do our translunar injection burn, we are definitely 100% on our way to the moon,” grounding the historic moment in real time.

Artemis II crew says 'it's all unbelievable'

Gallagher began by acknowledging the scale of what the crew was doing- becoming the first humans in decades to push beyond familiar space.

Commander Reid Wiseman’s response captured both the history and the emotion of the moment.

“At the end of our translunar injection, we just really looked at each other,” he said, before adding, “I know the United States has done this 1968 through 1972, but this is unbelievable that we can put our minds to something and pull it off.”

Gallagher pointed out that the crew would soon travel farther than any humans ever had. Astronaut Christina Koch acknowledged the milestone, but subtly reframed it.

“We were aware that we would pass that milestone,” she said, but added, “We are not necessarily a crew that lives on superlatives.”

Instead, she shifted the focus forward: “It is a milestone that’s important, but we think that the journey is so much more than just one number.”

Then came the purpose behind it all: “That’s why we’re here to build a legacy for the future.”

Astronaut Victor Glover reflects on flawless launch

The conversation then turned to the launch itself - something that looked nearly flawless from Earth. Gallagher asked the obvious question: was it surprising?

“Yes, it was surprising,” astronaut Victor Glover admitted. “We like to say that we’re prepared without having an expectation, but in the back of your mind, you kind of hope you launch.”

“When we got really close, it was like, wait, we’re getting ready to go to space,” Glover added.

Glover described the ignition in a way that instantly humanized the experience: “When those solids lit, you’re trying to be professional, but the kid inside of you wants to break out and just hoot and holler.”

Even in that excitement, he paused to credit the teams on the ground, saying, “They have had some time to practice and really dial in their procedures,” calling the launch a reflection of “how hard they’ve been working lately.”

But the most vivid part of the interview came when Gallagher asked about life inside the spacecraft, and Koch delivered a moment that instantly brought space down to Earth.

“Living in Orion isn’t quite the same as being at home,” she said, before explaining how even basic things behave differently. During engine burns, she noted, “most things that aren’t actually fastened down all fall down to the floor of Orion.”

Then she flipped the idea of “floor” entirely.

“Speaking of floors and ceilings, it actually is just all by convention only,” she said. “There is no difference between up and down.”

“I’ve been sleeping with my feet there and my head down here, and it’s very comfortable,” she added.

She even added, half-jokingly, “I think I’ll probably stay there the whole mission unless someone kicks me out.”

Astronauts share heartfelt message for families

Even as they spoke from thousands of miles away, the astronauts didn’t lose sight of home.

Koch paused mid-interview to say, “I would love to give a quick shout out to our families, we miss you guys already.”

Glover followed with his own message: “My mom, my grandparents, all the cousins, thank you for all of the support and the love for all of these years.”