A family from Oakville, Ontario, found themselves at the center of a historic moment when they witnessed NASA's Artemis II launch from Cocoa Beach on April 3, 2026. Rachael Doherty and her 12-year-old son Reid were on their annual spring break trip when they stumbled upon the event, which marked the first crewed mission in the Artemis program. The launch, which sent astronauts around the moon, drew thousands to the beach, creating a scene of shared excitement and awe.
The Doherty family arrived at the beach around 3:03 a.m. for a quiet morning walk, only to be met with the hum of engines and the glow of the rocket. Rachael described the delayed sound of the liftoff as 'like an airplane sound, but amplified.' For Reid, the moment was transformative. He said seeing Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the crew made the experience 'especially meaningful' and sparked thoughts about future moon bases.
The Artemis II mission is part of NASA's plan to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon. Jeremy Hansen's participation highlights Canada's expanding role in space exploration. The launch, which took place from Kennedy Space Center, was visible from Cocoa Beach due to the rocket's trajectory. Thousands of spectators on the beach cheered as the rocket ascended, its plume lighting up the pre-dawn sky.
Rachael said the family had no idea the launch would happen during their trip. 'We were just there for the sunrise,' she said. 'But when we heard the engines, we knew something big was happening.' The experience left the family in awe, with Reid later telling his mother he wanted to study engineering. The Dohertys plan to share their story with local schools, hoping to inspire other young people to pursue STEM careers.