San Diego Touches Down on Page One of the New York Times

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

San Diego received scads of global attention on April 10, when the ambitious Artemis II space mission concluded its moon loop with a successful splashdown in the ocean waters off our coast. After maneuvering out of the bobbing Orion capsule, the four astronauts were boarded onto a recovery naval ship and flown to nearby North Island Naval Air Station for medical observation.

In the meantime, a cheerful celebration filled with happy tears was taking place at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. As the rousing crowd viewed the events live from the museum, a photographer for the New York Times captured the energy. Two days later, the image graced Page One of the Times’ heavily circulated Sunday edition, with its caption citing the museum.

The museum was an appropriate venue for the watch party, given that it currently has on display the original Apollo 9 Command Module.