The Artemis II astronauts reunited with their Orion capsule on Wednesday, three months after completing a record-breaking mission around the moon that took them farther into space than any humans in history.

It was the crew’s first visit to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since their launch in April. When they last saw the launch pad, the Space Launch System rocket that carried them to space was still standing there.

“It’s a lonely place without that rocket on it,” mission commander Reid Wiseman said, as the four astronauts thanked the teams that supported the historic flight.

The crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—set a new human distance record by traveling 252,756 miles (406,771 km) during the lunar flyby. The mission marked humanity’s first journey to the moon in more than 50 years.

Wiseman said public enthusiasm for the mission remains strong, recalling that a passenger on a recent flight in France thanked him for “reminding us about joy and hope in the universe again.”

NASA last month announced the four-member crew for Artemis III, scheduled for next year. The mission will remain in Earth orbit to rehearse docking with lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, while Artemis IV is planned as early as 2028 and is expected to include a crewed lunar landing.

Christina Koch, the first woman to fly to the moon, said she welcomed NASA’s merit-based crew selection after Artemis III’s all-male crew drew attention.

Jeremy Hansen, Canada’s representative on Artemis II, announced earlier this week that he will leave the Canadian Space Agency in September but will continue supporting the Artemis program as a reservist in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

NASA is seeking volunteers to take part in a year-long simulated mission designed to prepare astronauts for future expeditions to the Moon and Mars.

The agency announced it is recruiting participants for its next Moon and Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA) mission, which is expected to begin no earlier than August 2027 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Selected volunteers will spend approximately 12 months living and working in two specially designed habitats that recreate the isolation, confinement and operational challenges astronauts are expected to face during deep-space missions.

The simulation will provide researchers with valuable data on how crews adapt to long-duration spaceflight and planetary surface operations, helping NASA improve astronaut safety and readiness for future lunar and Martian missions.

During the mission, participants will carry out astronaut-like tasks in immersive environments, including mock Moon and Mars excursions, rover operations and scientific exploration activities, while operating under limited resources and communication constraints similar to those expected in deep space.

NASA said the research will also support planning for a sustained human presence on the Moon through its future Moon Base concept and upcoming Artemis missions, while contributing to preparations for the first crewed mission to Mars.

The new program combines elements of NASA’s Human Exploration Research Anbhhhhh//////////nalog (HERA) and Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) projects into a single integrated mission. Volunteers will use the HERA habitat to simulate the journey through space before transitioning to the CHAPEA habitat, which will serve as a simulated lunar or Martian base.

Throughout the mission, scientists will monitor the crew’s physical health, psychological wellbeing and performance under the demands of prolonged isolation, confined living conditions and limited supplies. Researchers will also evaluate technologies, operational procedures and habitat systems intended to support astronauts on future deep-space expeditions.

NASA is inviting qualified applicants who meet the agency’s physical, educational and psychological requirements. Candidates must complete a multi-stage selection process and undergo comprehensive medical and psychological evaluations before being chosen for the mission.

The agency said it is looking for individuals who are motivated by challenging experiences and eager to contribute to research that will shape the future of human space exploration.

The United Arab Emirates has set a minimum age of 15 for social media use, becoming the first Arab ​country to introduce such a restriction as governments worldwide seek to ‌address growing concerns over the impact of online platforms on children.

Under a resolution approved on Thursday, children under 15 will be prohibited from creating, using or operating ​personal social media accounts. The ban means they will not ​be able to post content, comment, share or join public ⁠groups, the government’s media office said, Reuters reported.

Teenagers aged 15 and 16 will ​be allowed to use social media platforms subject to enhanced safeguards, including ​age-appropriate content controls, restrictions on interaction with unknown users, screen-time management tools and parental supervision features.

The rules apply to all social media platforms operating in the UAE and ​require companies to implement robust age-verification measures, including digital identity checks ​and artificial intelligence-supported technologies. Self-declaration of age will not be accepted as a valid ‌form ⁠of verification.

Platforms must also disable accounts created by children under 15, prevent users from circumventing age-verification systems and refrain from using children’s personal data for targeted advertising or behavioural profiling.

The government said the measures were designed ​to address concerns ​over children’s exposure ⁠to inappropriate content, unsafe online interactions, excessive social media use and the collection of personal data.

Social media companies ​will have up to 12 months to comply with ​the ⁠new regulations.

The UAE said the framework aligns with international efforts to strengthen online child protection while balancing digital access with safety.

Several countries, including Australia and ⁠others ​in Europe, have moved to tighten restrictions on ​children’s use of social media amid mounting concerns about its effects on mental health and ​online safety.