Four astronauts preparing for NASA’s upcoming Artemis 2 mission have successfully completed the viral fitness challenge known as the “Bobby and Pete Challenge.” The challenge involves performing 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups in under 10 minutes. This accomplishment was showcased in a brief video shared by NASA on X (formerly Twitter) on August 29, 2023.
The astronauts—Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency—demonstrated their physical readiness for the upcoming lunar mission through this rigorous test. The “Bobby and Pete Challenge” gained traction following a video released on August 18 by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who popularized the challenge.
In the original video, Kennedy challenges Sean Duffy, the Acting NASA Administrator and former champion lumberjack, to take on the test. Duffy subsequently invited the Artemis 2 crew to participate. In the video posted by NASA, Wiseman, the mission commander, opens with a confident acceptance of the challenge, joined by his crewmates as they echo his concluding words.
The footage captures the astronauts tackling the physical demands with determination. They finish the challenge visibly exhausted yet triumphant. Wiseman concludes the video by passing the challenge to fellow astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS)—Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, and Jonny Kim—encouraging them to surpass their times.
Artemis 2 Mission Details
Artemis 2 is set to be the second mission in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon. Following the success of Artemis 1—an uncrewed mission that launched in November 2022—Artemis 2 will embark on a roughly 10-day journey around the moon, scheduled to take place between February and April 2026. Although the crew will not land on the lunar surface, the subsequent Artemis 3 mission, targeted for 2027, aims to achieve that milestone.
Physical fitness is a crucial aspect of astronaut training, essential for coping with the demands of space travel. Astronauts must adapt to microgravity conditions, which can lead to bone density loss and muscle atrophy. Consequently, maintaining physical fitness remains a priority during both training and actual missions, including those aboard the ISS, where astronauts engage in daily exercise routines.
As the Artemis program progresses, the health and fitness of its astronauts will play a pivotal role in ensuring mission success, ultimately paving the way for future lunar exploration and beyond.
