NASA Astronaut Winston Scott Previews Artemis II Launch in Exclusive Interview on Space Coast Daily
By Space Coast Daily // February 12, 2026
Captain Winston Scott recently sat down with Space Coast Daily for an in-depth interview with John Harper
AB0VE VIDEO: NASA Astronaut Winston Scott Previews Artemis II Launch in Exclusive Interview on Space Coast Daily
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Winston Scott recently sat down with Space Coast Daily for an in-depth interview with John Harper, offering a personal look at his storied career in spaceflight and his perspective on the upcoming Artemis II mission, currently slated for launch in March.
During the conversation, which will air on Thursday at 5 p.m., Scott will reflect on his time as a NASA astronaut, including his two Space Shuttle missions aboard STS-72 in 1996 and STS-87 in 1997.
Across those missions, Scott logged more than 24 days in space and conducted multiple spacewalks, contributing to satellite retrieval operations, scientific research, and technology demonstrations that helped advance human spaceflight.
Scott described STS-72 as a pivotal mission early in his astronaut career. The flight focused on retrieving and returning the Japanese Space Flyer Unit satellite and on testing equipment for future space station operations.
Just a year later, STS-87 further expanded his experience, with Scott performing two spacewalks to support experiments and to evaluate tools and techniques for working in space’s harsh environment.
Looking ahead, Scott shared his enthusiasm for Artemis II, NASA’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there.
He emphasized the mission’s significance as a critical step toward deep-space exploration, noting that lessons learned from the Space Shuttle era continue to shape today’s spacecraft design, crew training, and mission planning.
In Greek mythology, Apollo is the god associated with the Sun, while Artemis is his twin sister and is closely linked to the Moon.
“NASA intentionally chose the name Artemis to reflect both a continuation of Apollo’s legacy and the beginning of a new era of space exploration marked by broader goals, increased diversity, and putting the first woman on the moon, just as Apollo put the first man on the moon over 50 years ago,” said Scott.
In short, Apollo proved that humanity could reach the Moon, while Artemis is focused on staying, learning, and using the Moon as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars.
Now a familiar voice and face on the Space Coast, Scott also spoke about the region’s unique role in America’s space program, praising the engineers, technicians, and support teams whose work makes each launch possible.
He noted that seeing a new generation of astronauts prepare to fly from Florida’s Space Coast is both inspiring and deeply meaningful.
As anticipation builds for the Artemis II launch, Scott’s reflections serve as a bridge between NASA’s shuttle legacy and its bold future beyond low Earth orbit—underscoring how decades of experience continue to propel human spaceflight forward.
Watch the full interview with Winston Scott on the Space Coast Daily Show at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
