Artemis II Crew Joins Starmus VIII to Bridge Lunar Past and Future

The festival, founded in 2011 by astrophysicist Dr. Garik Israelian and Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, has long served as a nexus for space legends and scientific pioneers. Since the inaugural gathering in Tenerife and La Palma, the event has hosted luminaries ranging from Stephen Hawking to Apollo Moonwalkers. This year’s edition, titled The Search for Truth, aims to connect the legacy of early spaceflight with the next era of human exploration opened by the Artemis II mission.

Running from October 17–22, 2026, the program includes a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. Alongside the Artemis II crew, the festival will feature astronauts Chris Hadfield and Julie Payette. For Victor Glover, the event represents more than a retrospective on lunar travel. The mission, which carried the crew farther from Earth than any previous human flight, serves as the foundation for future long-term excursions into the Solar System. Starmus organizers emphasize that the presence of these modern explorers is intended to inspire a new generation of scientists and artists, ensuring that the momentum of current space programs reaches far beyond the professional aerospace community.