Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera Celebrate Colorado's Role in Historic Successful Artemis II Lunar Mission at Red Rocks

MORRISON - Today, Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera joined many Colorado aerospace companies to celebrate the successful Artemis II Lunar Mission and Colorado's major contributions to that success. The mission, which lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at 4:35 PM MST on Wednesday April 1st 2026 and returned to Earth on April 10, 2026, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, at 6:07 PM MST showcases Colorado's central role in America's return to the moon. Over 250 Colorado companies participated in the Artemis program.

"Colorado's aerospace companies are the industry-leading innovators that are helping us get back to the moon. It was an honor to join the amazing Artemis II crew at Red Rocks and congratulate them on a historic achievement. As I told the astronauts backstage: "Sure, you've travelled to the moon and back, but now you can say you've played to a sold out audience at Red Rocks!" said Governor Jared Polis.

"This mission's success is a symbol of Colorado and America's innovation and I am honored by the role our state played in this history-making moment," continued Governor Polis.

"Today's event was a powerful reminder of the Colorado aerospace ecosystem's vital role in space innovation and exploration. With more than 250 Colorado-based companies contributing to the mission, it was exciting to meet the crew who flew it, and even more exciting to see how many Coloradans were inspired to become a part of the Artemis generation," said Lt. Governor Primavera.

The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Victor Glover became the first person of color, Christina Koch the first woman, and Jeremy Hansen the first non-U.S. citizen to leave Earth's orbit on a lunar mission.

Colorado has a nation leading aerospace economy, with over 2,000 aerospace businesses employing 56,000+ employees directly and another 184,000 indirectly. Colorado brought in a record $46+ billion in federal funding for aerospace and defense, including over $31 billion in federal contracts, another $12.5 billion economic impact from our military bases, and $3.4 billion to our federal labs. Colorado remains a national and global leader in aerospace innovation.

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