By Carolyn Badaracco
Earth Day 2026 is cause for celebration from Georgia’s coordinates on the globe.
With the recent successful return of the Artemis II crew from 10 days in outer space, here’s a fresh take on the Peach State’s contributions to the planetary achievement and exploration of frontiers beyond.
The Artemis II moon mission and its Orion spacecraft displayed an infusion of Georgia talent, such as University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences alumnus Jeff Pilgrim’s air quality monitoring system (anomaly gas analyzer) that helped keep the four astronauts safe.
Georgia Southern University graduate Auston Netcher, a NASA contractor, worked as part of the shuttle’s cryogenic team on the liquid oxygen software. Upon getting the gig after attending a job fair, Netcher worked on Artemis I and II and is already at work on Artemis III and IV. “Really down-to-earth people,” is how he reportedly described the astronauts to Yahoo News.
Noting family support from Albany, Georgia, 26-year-old Kylei Scott is an aerospace research engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia who uses infrared video and spectroscopy data from aircraft to measure temperatures and analyze what comes off capsules as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. His latest project: the Artemis II mission.
In the realm of manufacturing, Griffin, Georgia-based GM Diecron produced high-precision metals parts for Lockheed Martin and Boeing that helped support the Artemis II mission.
Universal Environmental Services in Peachtree City, Georgia, recycled used oil from Artemis II launch operations, while Peachtree City’s Timber Products Inspection tested and certified specialized crates used to carry critical hardware for the Artemis II mission.
Long before Artemis, Georgia Tech alumnus Shane Kimbrough, retired NASA astronaut and commander of the International Space Station, gave his home state a shout-out from outer space. His August 2021 tweet showcased a twinkling land mass below and these words: “Hello, Atlanta from @Space_Station! My hometown is looking amazing from space. Can you pick out some of my favorite places: Georgia Tech, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, The Varsity, Georgia State, Coca-Cola Museum, State Farm Arena, Piedmont Park, Ponce City Market, Dobbins ARB?”
Our state’s research labs, university classrooms, factory floors and launch operations continue to expand to Georgia’s imprint on space exploration, proving that even from 32.1574° N, 82.9071° W, we are helping shape humanity’s reach beyond Earth while deepening our appreciation for the planet we call home.
