Artemis crew surprises 5-year-old aspiring astronaut with special gift

The Artemis II squad gained a caller subordinate Friday, and the unit made definite their youngest teammate had the close worldly for space.

When the Artemis crew launched from Florida last month, Jack, a 5-year-old aspiring astronaut from Atlanta, told CBS News he's "so obsessed with space" and wore his ain spacesuit for the launch. The suit bore the fertile of commander, truthful CBS News' Rob Marciano gave Jack a nickname: Commander Jack.

Commander Jack, dressed successful his achromatic spacesuit, joined "CBS Mornings" Friday for a town hallway event with the Artemis crew, and the astronauts had a astonishment for him.

Mission specializer Christina Koch presented Jack with an orangish spacesuit matching the ones the astronauts wore during the mission.

"It says commandant conscionable similar yours, truthful you tin inactive support your title," Koch said.

The spacesuit was signed by the crew, but different diagnostic of the suit caught Jack's eye.

Artemis II ngo specializer Christina Koch gives 5-year-old Jack a spacesuit during a CBS News municipality hallway connected May 1, 2026. CBS News

"It says NASA!" Jack exclaimed.

"We would similar to person you connected our team," Koch said. "What bash you think?"

Jack gave a thumbs-up, rushed implicit to his parents for a hug and past thanked Koch with a hug arsenic well.

"Jack has been hugely inspired by this ngo and by each of you," Jack's ma told the astronauts. "So convey you truthful overmuch for everything you're doing, evidently not conscionable for Jack, but for each of humanity."

In:

• NASA