Ready for lift off! Former NASA engineer reflects on Artemis II launch
By Serra Sowers
Published on April 1, 2026.
Former NASA engineer, Julia Patrick, reflects on the historic Artemis II launch for lunar exploration, which is set to take place outside Earth and will send a woman and a Black astronaut to orbit for the first time. Patrick, a North Carolina A&&M alum, has worked for NASA for 28 years and is now seeing her family's work come to fruition. The Artemis II mission is expected to take approximately ten days and culminates in a mission to remove all barriers between humanity and the moon. The launch is scheduled for July 28 and aims to send astronauts around the world.
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