When the Orion spacecraft found its way home, it felt like more than just the end of a mission. It’s a reminder of what we’re capable of. The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere around 8 p.m. on April 10, and all four crew members emerged safe and healthy. In a time where it’s easy to feel stuck or uncertain, Artemis II has given people something rare: a sense of wonder, possibility and shared hope. No matter what happens, that feeling alone is something worth holding onto.

Before Jenny Gruber was the Future Systems Integration lead for NASA’s recent Moon to Mars mission, she was an undergraduate student studying aerospace engineering at Boston University. It was while Gruber, who also serves as president of the BU Alumni Association, was at BU that she landed an internship with NASA, and she became certain she wanted to pursue a career in space exploration.