Donald Trump speaks directly to Artemis II crew and declares ‘US is back’

Donald Trump has spoken directly to the four astronauts currently on board the Artemis II as he congratulated them for their historic mission - and what it meant for the future.

The US president spoke to Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen via a phone call to the Orion capsule on Monday evening, just a short while after they had surpassed the record for human spaceflight's farthest distance from Earth, which was previously set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

“At long last, America is back and is stronger than ever before. We’re the hottest country anywhere in the world,” he proudly told them. "Your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon."

Trump spoke to the crew as they began to make their way back to Earth (Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The momentous occasion marked the farthest anyone has ever travelled from Earth in human history and marks just the first step towards NASA’s ambitious plans to launch an expedition to Mars in the future.

Before that however, a manned mission to the moon’s surface will need to take place, requiring a second trip into space rather than something that can be achieved on the current 10 day mission.

In fact, the current mission is now in its latter stages having slingshotted around the moon to view a previously unseen glimpse of the cosmos.

It wasn’t just about gathering intelligence and scientific data however, as there was also a clear nod to nostalgia and history too, as the crew were greeted by a total solar eclipse that gave them a clear view of the landing sites of Apollo 12 and 14 almost half a century ago.

It will be a few more days yet before the crew can set foot on home soil again (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

It will be another two years yet before boots are able to land on the far side of the moon and follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, including the late Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who wished the crew well in a recording made two months before his death last August.

The poignant message was beamed up to the Orion capsule from Mission Control and said: “Welcome to my old neighborhood,” said Lovell, who also flew on Apollo 8, humanity’s first lunar visit. “It’s a historic day and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view.”

Even more poignantly, the crew also carried with them the silk patch from Lovell’s spacesuit which was worn during his legendary Apollo 8 mission to the moon.