What started as a planned vacation turned into an unforgettable moment with history for two separate groups of southeast Manitobans, each witnessing — in their own way — the excitement surrounding NASA’s Artemis II mission.
Local photographer seizes rare opportunity
For hobby photographer Hans Epp, the experience began before the rocket ever left the ground.
Epp was in Titusville, Florida, ahead of a scheduled launch with a friend, hoping to catch a glimpse of the rocket on the launchpad.
“We were able to see the spacecraft from the shores of Titusville, but that puts you about 18 kilometres away,” Epp says.
Wanting a closer look, the next day he visited the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex.
“We went on a bus tour that got us to a much closer area, about three kilometers away from the pad.”
Due to a launch delay caused by a hydrogen leak during pre-testing, the rocket remained on the pad, giving Epp the chance to photograph it up close — something he described as a highlight as an avid photographer with a passion for astrophotography.
“It was an amazing sight to see,” he says.
Photo provided by Hans Epp
While he didn’t get to witness the launch in person this time, the experience built on a long-standing interest in space exploration.
Since then, he has been closely following the mission, particularly the images being sent back to Earth.
Among the most striking, he says, are new views of Earth from deep space.
“They were able to take a picture from the dark side of the Earth. You could actually see the atmosphere and how thin it is around the Earth.”
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Photo provided by Hans Epp
A historic front row view
For the Warkentin family, the experience unfolded differently, with a front row view of the launch itself.
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Warkentin family (photo provided)
Bruce and Anna Warkentin and their three children, Liam, Bree and Sara, travelled to Florida for spring break, not specifically for the launch, but quickly adjusted their plans when they realized the timing aligned.
“We were super excited when we found out the rocket was launching while we were down there. We wanted to make sure we got to see it,” Anna says.
Unable to secure tickets to the Kennedy Space Centre due to high demand, the family found a viewing spot about five miles away on a causeway near Cocoa Beach.
For 13-year-old Liam, the moment the rocket lifted off was both surprising and unforgettable.
“At first, it looked like there was a disc that was catching the sunlight and reflecting it off. It just kept getting brighter and taller. Then I realized, oh wait, that’s the rocket actually launching,” Liam says.
For Sara, she says she was relieved she wasn’t on board, noting the intense pressure astronauts must experience during takeoff.
Photo provided
Anna says the moment carried a deeper emotional weight.
“There was something about the fact that there were a Canadian and American astronauts unified together in this task,” she says.
With splashdown scheduled for Friday evening, the mission continues to capture attention — and inspire those who were lucky enough to witness even a small part of it.
With files from Corny Rempel