Why is the Artemis 2 rocket launch different from all other rocket launches?

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — As NASA's giant Artemis 2 moon rocket lifted off Wednesday evening (April 1) from the Space Coast, Jews across the globe were beginning the holiday of Passover, sitting around tables for the traditional meal, called a Seder, and recounting the story of Moses and freedom from slavery in Egypt.

The question echoes the first of four essential questions that are posed during the Passover Seder, which asks, "Why is this night different from all other nights? " In the case of Artemis 2, the answer is the moon. It has been more than 50 years since NASA launched a crew of astronauts to the moon, and the SLS is the only vehicle currently in operation capable of launching people beyond low Earth orbit.

Here at the press site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, hundreds of journalists showed up for the launch of Artemis 2, which is sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon. And while it has been a busy day at KSC, a few of the Jewish members of the press (myself included) paused to recognize the holiday with a mini Seder of our own.