Hi there,

Just a few days ago, Artemis II made its splashdown back to Earth. The mission, the first time in over 50 years that NASA has sent astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and around the moon, was historic for many reasons. 🌕

The crew set a new record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth (a mind blowing 252,756 miles!). Astronauts Christina Koch and Victor Glover made history as the first woman and the first person of color to venture into deep space and journey around the moon.

Behind the scenes, women across NASA played key roles in making Artemis II possible. At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the first woman launch director at NASA, led a team of 90 engineers to initiate the mission. After launch, she passed the baton to Vanessa E. Wyche, the first woman director of the Johnson Space Center in Texas, who led her team through the remainder of the mission.

In control rooms and administrative offices across the country, women helped power every phase of Artemis II. Over on Threads, user @ajvictorymd invited the women of NASA to share how they contributed, and the responses are as inspiring as the mission itself.

Check out the full thread to meet some more of the amazing women who contributed to this historic chapter in space exploration. ✨

IN THE LOOP WITH GWC

⌛ Summer 2026 Pathways application deadline has been extended until April 15! If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time. In this free, virtual program for high schoolers, students learn to code while designing projects that make a difference—no experience required.

🧑‍🏫 Become a Girls Who Code Facilitator! Girls Who Code Clubs help students build tech skills, make friends, and explore computer science. Educators, parents, and community leaders can launch a free club for students in grades 3–12. We provide the curriculum, activities, and support you need to get started. Clubs applications close April 30.

UPCOMING EVENTS

APR 16 | 5:15 PM ET - Calling all GWC Club Facilitators! Don’t want to miss our upcoming Clubs Facilitator Workshop, where we’ll explore Pair Programming using our block-based coding editor BlockJam, and you’ll have the chance to hear from a panel of experienced Facilitators.

APR 30 | 4:30 PM ET - It's Clubs Graduation time! Celebrate your Club’s achievements with us in NYC! Join us for inspiring speakers, hands-on activities, and a chance to spotlight your Club. Facilitators complete the interest form by April 15.

THE LATEST BUZZ

GEN Z IS BUILDING THEIR OWN COMPUTERS 🛠️

Gen Z is getting hands-on. A growing number of young creators are building “cyberdecks,” DIY portable computers made from mismatched parts and designed for their own unique needs and interests. The trend has taken off across social media, where creators are housing their builds in everything from purses to jewelry boxes.

THIS TEEN IS REIMAGINING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS ♻️

What happens when a 16-year-old teaches herself science and machine learning? You get Smart Carbon Recycling, a sustainable agriculture platform designed to fight the climate crisis. In this episode of Teen Scientist, Anisha Dhoot shares how she built her innovation and what young people can do right now to make a real-world impact.