Trusted Hands: Amentum’s Unsung Heroes Behind Artemis II’s Historic Launch

Before the thunderous roar of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket broke the calm, propelling the crew of Artemis II toward the Moon in humanity’s first crewed lunar voyage in over 50 years, an Amentum team buckled them in. As the world cheered, four astronauts (Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen) began their historic journey to loop around the Moon and pave the way for the next era of deep-space exploration.

Behind the iconic images of fire and smoke at liftoff lies the critical work of a small, dedicated team: Amentum’s Closeout Crew. Lead, Taylor Hose; an astronaut support person, astronaut Andre Douglas; one technician specially trained on Orion crew survival system spacesuits, Bill Owens; and two Orion technicians, Christian Warriner and Ricky Ebaugh. These unsung heroes were not just the last people to touch the Artemis II crew module but the last humans to interact with the astronauts face-to-face before they left Earth.

Launch Day: Engineering, Precision, and Farewell

For the Closeout Crew, launch day began long before most of us woke up to witness history. Tasked with the final, meticulous steps of astronaut and spacecraft preparation, the team took their places at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and got to work hours before the countdown clock ticked to zero.

Within the shadow of the towering rocket, the Artemis II astronauts suited up in their Orion spacesuits under the watchful eyes of the Crew. Every seam, every connection, and every piece of equipment was thoroughly verified to ensure safety. For the Crew, there could be no margin for error. Their job was to prepare everything, and everyone, for the extraordinary conditions of deep space.

Once suited and transported to Launch Complex 39B, the astronauts were greeted by the Closeout Crew one final time before entering the waiting spacecraft. Inside the Orion cabin, the team provided the astronauts with helping hands as they climbed into their positions.

“The Crew ensured harnesses were secured, life-support systems were airtight, and all connections between the crew module, the suits, firing room and mission control were functioning perfectly,” said Taylor Hose, Amentum Closeout Crew lead. “The moment of sealing Orion’s hatch was as bittersweet as it was historic: we were the last physical link between Earth and the Artemis II astronauts.”

The Unsung Architects of Success

With the Artemis II spacecraft safely on its trajectory toward the Moon, the expertise and diligence of the Closeout Crew remain behind the scenes.

Their contribution is a mix of reliability, resolve, technical skill and teamwork fueled by decades of experience in human spaceflight. While their role on this flight may have ended, the echoes of their work are evident in every system humming aboard the spacecraft and in the astronauts’ confidence as they embark on their historic mission.

The Moon Awaits

With Artemis II now well on its way, humanity inches closer to returning to the Moon—and, eventually, to setting foot on its surface once more. For the Closeout Crew, their mission is complete. But this journey into the stars wouldn’t have been possible without their steadfast work during those final moments on Earth.

The daring dreams of Artemis II have left the launchpad and become a reality. The Moon awaits, and the Closeout Crew helped get us one step closer.