Artemis II Crew Dedicates Apollo 14 Moon Tree at Johnson Space Center
On June 25, 2026, the Artemis II crew gathered at the Lunar Receiving Park of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to dedicate a second‑generation Apollo Moon tree, a loblolly pine.
The original Apollo Moon trees were grown from seeds that flew on Apollo missions and were later germinated on Earth. The newly planted specimen is a direct descendant of those first trees, preserving the genetic lineage of the early lunar program.
During the ceremony crew members gave brief remarks highlighting the link between human lunar exploration and terrestrial ecology. The sapling was then placed into the prepared soil and accompanied by a plaque marking the date and mission name.
The tree stands as a living symbol that space‑borne experiments can have lasting benefits after returning to Earth. Researchers hope that monitoring the loblolly pine’s growth will yield long‑term data on how space radiation affects plant development.