The First Launch I Have Watched Since Challenger

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift · Apr 2, 2026 · 9m

Artemis 2 launched today and for one person watching, the last time a space launch was watched all the way through was 1986. Crisscross applesauce on a library floor in grade six. The angles looked familiar tonight and the breath held the same way at booster separation. Nothing bad happened. That took a minute to fully register.

What does it feel like to watch the first countdown you have ever watched live and realize nine minutes in they are in orbit and the relief in the livestream is audible? Ryan O'Donnell had never done it before. He had toys of the Space Shuttle as a kid but had no idea…