Artemis II Astronauts to Headline STARMUS VIII in the Canary Islands
Fifteen years after the inaugural STARMUS festival brought together the icons of the Apollo era, the event is set to welcome a new generation of lunar explorers. Artemis II crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen will headline the October gathering in Tenerife and La Palma, bridging the gap between historical lunar missions and the future of deep-space travel.
The upcoming festival, running from October 17 to 22, 2026, marks a symbolic transition for the organization. Founded in 2011 by astrophysicist Dr. Garik Israelian and Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, STARMUS originally drew its inspiration from pioneers like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Alexei Leonov. By hosting the crew that recently completed the first human voyage toward the Moon in over half a century, the festival seeks to weave the legacy of the Apollo program into the narrative of the Artemis missions.
Beyond the presence of the Artemis II astronauts, this edition of STARMUS celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. The event will feature a broad spectrum of voices, including astronauts Chris Hadfield and Julie Payette, alongside prominent thinkers like Geoffrey Hinton and Steven Pinker. The week opens with a concert in Santa Cruz de Tenerife featuring performances by Brian May and Andrea Bocelli, reinforcing the festival’s long-standing tradition of blending scientific discourse with artistic expression to engage the public.
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