The Artemis II crew set a new speed record for living astronauts during their 10-day lunar journey in early April. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen traveled 52,756 miles from Earth before reaching approximately 24,664 mph during atmospheric reentry.

Only NASA's Apollo 10 astronauts have traveled faster, hitting 24,791 mph in 1969. The crew's display showed Mach 39 at peak velocity, though Glover noted the measurement depends on altitude, air temperature, and density. At sea level, their speed would register as Mach 32.

NASA's patch supplier A-B Emblem in North Carolina produced the commemorative "Mach 39" emblem, which Wiseman revealed on social media in June. The patch celebrates the crew's achievement as the fastest humans alive since the Apollo era.