New consumer research from Ideally reveals the emotional pulse of the nation as NASA's crew prepares for tomorrow's splashdown — and finds Americans care more about astronaut feelings than rocket science

As NASA's Artemis II crew hurtles back toward a Friday splashdown off the coast of San Diego, new research from consumer insights platform Ideally reveals the mission has done something the internet rarely manages: bring Americans together.

In a nationally representative survey of 1,068 Americans conducted this past week, 65% said following the Artemis II mission felt different from their usual experience online — with nearly a third (32%) calling it "a rare positive, unifying moment" and another 33% describing it as "a nice break, but not that different."

"We wanted to use our platform to show, in real-time, how unique of a moment the Artermis II mission was for Americans," said Josh Nu'u-Steele, co-founder of Ideally. "What's striking in the data isn't just that people were paying attention, it's what they were paying attention to. This isn't a story about rockets. It's a story about human curiosity."

A nation tuned in — and feeling good about it

The survey found 71% of Americans have at least some awareness of the mission, with one in five (20%) watching livestreams and actively following updates, and just over half (51%) catching news coverage or social media posts. Only 10% said they were completely unaware of Artemis II prior to taking the survey.

When asked to describe how space exploration in 2026 makes them feel in a single word, 81% chose a positive emotion — led by Excited (24%), Curious (21%), Hopeful (14%), Proud (12%), and Inspired (10%). Just 9% said Indifferent, and only 5% chose Skeptical.

The curiosity gap: Americans want the human story, not just the science

Perhaps the most telling finding is what Americans say they're most curious about. When asked what interests them most about life on a space mission:

• 50% want to know what daily routines look like in zero gravity
• 45% want to understand what it feels like emotionally to be that far from home
• 41% are interested in the science experiments happening on board
• 25% are curious about what personal items the crew chose to bring

The emotional experience of distance outranked the science — a signal that the human narrative of space exploration may matter more to the public than the technical one.

What stood out most: inspiration over imagery

When asked what stood out most about the Artemis II mission, positive sentiment dominated the open-text responses. The largest themes were Inspiration and Hope (10.8%), Exploration Progress (10.6%), Mission Imagery (9.8%), and Crew Character (7%). Negative themes like safety concerns and cost worries were present but significantly smaller in volume - only 3.1% of respondents expressed concerns over the cost.

Separately, when completing the sentence "The thing I find most exciting about humans going back to the Moon is...", the top themes were Discovery and Learning (20.4%), Future Exploration (18.6%), and Wonder and Inspiration (10.6%) — confirming that forward-looking optimism, not nostalgia, is driving public enthusiasm.

The gender gap in space ambition

The survey also surfaced a notable gender divide. Asked if NASA offered them a seat on the next mission to the Moon:

• 27% of men said "Absolutely — sign me up" vs. just 10% of women
• 39% of women said "Absolutely not" vs. 22% of men
• Overall, 38% of Americans expressed willingness to go (18% "absolutely," 20% "probably yes")

The 35–44 generation felt it most

The age group most likely to describe Artemis II as "a rare positive, unifying moment online" was 35–44 year olds — at 42%, ten points above the national average. This generation, raised on Space Shuttle launches and the International Space Station, appears to have the deepest emotional connection to this particular milestone.

About the research

Ideally surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,068 American adults during the week of the Artemis II mission (April 2026). The survey covered awareness, emotional response, standout moments (open-text with AI-assisted sentiment analysis), curiosity about space life, willingness to travel to space, and the perceived cultural impact of the mission. Margin of error is ±3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

About Ideally

Ideally is a consumer research and insights platform that helps brands understand what people think, feel, and want — in days, not months. Founded in New Zealand and operating across Auckland, Sydney, and the United States, Ideally works with global brands including Google, Nando's, Asahi, and Treasury Wine Estates to turn consumer intelligence into confident decisions. Learn more at goideally.com.

Notes for editors: Charts and visualisations from the Ideally platform are available on request. Spokespeople available for interview across US and APAC time zones.

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