Gizmodo reported that at 10:30 PM on February 8, when the Artemis II rocket was preparing to ignite and launch, most Americans were likely lounging on their sofas, basking in the afterglow of the Super Bowl. This is not a joke; NASA has indeed scheduled the launch of humanity's first return to the moon in half a century on the night of the Super Bowl. Worse still, the 10-day flight mission will completely overlap with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Artemis II was supposed to be a high point for NASA to showcase its ambitions. Four astronauts will ride the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft to travel farther than any human has ever reached, becoming the first humans to leave Earth's orbit since the Apollo era ended 54 years ago. This includes the first woman to go to the moon, the first person of color, and the first Canadian.
But all this historical significance may be drowned out by the noise of the sports events.
The Overlooked Epic Mission
The public's understanding of the Artemis program has always been disappointing. Despite billions of dollars and years of effort, this ambitious plan aimed at establishing a permanent lunar base has failed to truly enter the mainstream consciousness. Although the unmanned Artemis I test flight in 2022 was successful, few people outside of space enthusiasts paid attention.
NASA's public relations dilemma has existed since the beginning of the Artemis program. Compared to the nationwide enthusiasm sparked by the Apollo program in the 1960s, today's public interest in moon landings is much more indifferent. Part of the reason is that the mission goals are not clear enough, and another part is that repeated delays have worn down people's patience. The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that the total cost of the entire Artemis program will reach $93 billion, and the rising budget has raised more and more questions.
Now, NASA faces an even more direct challenge: how to compete with the two biggest sports events in the world.
The Super Bowl is the highest-rated annual sports event in the United States. The 60th Super Bowl in 2026 will be held on February 8 at 6:30 PM in Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. According to tradition, the game plus the halftime performance will last 3 to 4 hours, ending around 10 PM. NASA plans to launch the rocket half an hour after the game ends.
The problem is that at this time, most Americans are already exhausted. They spent the whole day attending Super Bowl parties, eating chicken wings and drinking beer, cheering for their favorite teams. After the game, they either prepare to sleep contentedly or complain on social media about the game. Expecting them to stay up late to watch the rocket launch is simply unrealistic.
At 1:00 AM on February 1, 2026, a full moon illuminated NASA's SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and the Orion spacecraft stacked on the mobile launch platform. (© NASA/Sam Lott)
Moreover, even if someone is willing to stay up late, the media's attention has already been taken by the Super Bowl. All major news channels will broadcast long analysis programs after the game, reviewing game highlights and controversial calls. Popular topics on social media will be dominated by Super Bowl content. A rocket launch is unlikely to stand out in such an environment.
The Long-Term Competition with the Olympics
If the Super Bowl is a one-day challenge, the Winter Olympics are a two-week continuous pressure. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will open on February 6, just two days before the Artemis II launch window opens. The Olympics will continue until February 22, fully covering the entire flight period of Artemis II.
The appeal of the Olympics is beyond doubt. The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics became the most-watched Olympics in history, with NBC Universal's platforms averaging 30.6 million viewers per day. Although the Winter Olympics are slightly smaller in scale, they still have a large audience in the United States and Europe. Various competitions from figure skating to alpine skiing are held throughout the day, constantly creating new stories and heroes.
The 10-day mission of Artemis II will overlap with the prime time of the Olympics. While the astronauts conduct scientific experiments and take photos of the far side of the moon in space, people on Earth might be excited about the gold medal battles. Media resources are limited, and when all major media outlets send their strongest teams to cover the Olympics, the pages and time slots left for NASA will naturally be compressed.
The long-term impact on the Artemis program cannot be ignored. NASA needs sustained public support to maintain this expensive project. Congress must approve funding every year, and lawmakers' decisions depend largely on voters' attitudes. If the public shows indifference to Artemis II, lawmakers will be more likely to cut the budget or question the necessity of the entire program.
Delaying May Not Be Bad
NASA has another option: wait until March. According to celestial mechanics calculations, the next launch window for Artemis II is from March 6 to 11. At that time, the Olympics have already ended, and there are no other major sports events interfering. The media and public attention will also be easier to focus on the moon mission.
Certainly, delaying the launch means the astronauts need to wait longer, and the launch team must remain in a high state of alert for a longer period. But from a public relations perspective, this could be a wiser choice. We have already waited 54 years to return to the moon; waiting a few more weeks is really not a big deal.
More importantly, fuel tests in early February have already revealed problems. The wet dress rehearsal on February 2 encountered hydrogen leakage, a long-standing issue resurfacing. Although the fuel was eventually added, the recurrence of the leak raises doubts about whether the system is truly ready. If NASA forces a launch in February to save time and the mission fails due to technical problems, the consequences would be even more disastrous.
Artemis II is not just a test flight; it carries NASA's entire vision of returning to the moon, establishing a permanent base, and ultimately sending humans to Mars. This historic moment deserves the attention of the whole world, not being buried under the shadow of sports events. Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen deserve a better stage.
No matter what decision NASA finally makes, one thing is certain: if the rocket really takes off on the night of February 8, it will be a competition against chicken wings and beer, not a conquest of the universe. That is probably not the script NASA wants.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/7602529727038947880/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author.