Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: NASA via AP, Retailer
In spite of DOGE’s vicious attacks on government agencies and the privatization of space travel into Katy Perry vacation opportunities, NASA is making history right now. Artemis II is the first manned lunar mission of the 21st century, launching over 50 years after the Apollo program ended in the 1972. So far, so good, it seems. The four astronauts onboard — Americans Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman and Canadian Jeremy Hansen — have swung around to the far side of the moon, capturing parts of it humans have never seen before. But Houston, we have one major problem: the music. Get the DJ off the aux!
On Saturday, the astronauts woke up to Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” the pop superhit about a baby-gay stripper having a ball at a queer L.A. nightclub. Awesome. But they were robbed of the song’s joyous catharsis when it cut out at the minute mark. “We were all eagerly awaiting the chorus,” you can hear commander Reid Wiseman say on the livestream before the capsule commander promises to “try again next time.” That would be forgivable if Mission Control’s other wake-up song choices weren’t so terrible: John Legend? Commercial rock? A 2010s indie-pop song called “Sleepyhead” that’s not by Passion Pit? There is an extreme shortage of LGBTQ+ people in the space industry, and it shows.
NASA played chappell roan’s pink pony club to wake up the astronauts on artemis II this morning!
“we were all eagerly awaiting the chorus” pic.twitter.com/n0pqgkDz16
— chappell roan daily (@dailyroan) April 4, 2026
The valiant Artemis II astronauts deserve better. To the DJ at Mission Control, might I suggest the obvious? Ariana Grande’s “NASA” or Kacey Musgraves’s “Space Cowboy.” Or, for something more esoteric and mysterious, how about a selection from French electronic duo Air’s 1998 album Moon Safari? Better yet, just send Roan to the lunar orbit — she needs the space.
Stay in touch.
The latest in style, self, culture, and power in your inbox.
Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice
Related