On April 1, 2026, NASA launched a four-person rocket heading for the moon, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17. While Artemis II has since returned to Earth, the space craze continues in Walla Walla.
On Wednesday, April 15, Gesa Power House Theatre screened “Spacewoman,” a documentary film directed by Hannah Berryman that is based on the first woman to pilot a Space Shuttle, Eileen Collins. The 2024 film follows Collins’ childhood and the pivotal moments that led her to pursue her passion for flying.
Monica Boyle, the theatre’s executive director, found that the Artemis II mission motivated visitors to attend last week’s screening.
“We had folks in attendance who did share that they had, in fact, come to see ‘Spacewoman’ because they had been following Artemis II and were excited to hear more of these incredible stories,” Boyle said.
The film, which focuses on the challenges Collins faced while becoming a pilot and astronaut, offered an inspirational story to viewers. Boyle shared the reasons why she and other employees on the Power House team chose the film.
“We aim to provide a space where everyone in our community can find an opportunity to see themselves reflected on our stage. The story of ‘Spacewoman’ hits that marker in so many ways. What a dream for a woman to have,” Boyle said. “Gesa Power House Theatre is woman-led and operated. We embrace any opportunity to highlight strong women and help inspire women and girls of our valley!”
Among the Artemis II crew is trailblazer Christina Koch, who was the first woman to travel around the moon and is part of the first all-female spacewalks. Much like Collins, Koch paved pathways in a male-dominated space, career and discipline.
Kurt Hoffman, Professor of Physics and the Society of Physics and Astronomy Students (SPAS) advisor, kept up with Artemis’ voyage. Hoffman shared that the project is an exciting proof of concept that manned spacecraft can extend into deep space.
“I believe the goal is to continue working toward a manned-flight to Mars,” Hoffman said. “In addition to traveling to a neighbor [planet], these flights will be important for constructing larger and more complicated devices such as space telescopes to be used for further scientific exploration.”
Hoffman does not specialize in astronomy, but highlighted the field’s intersection with physics. According to Hoffman, NASA’s Webb Telescope, which collects astronomical data, has gained popularity amongst students and sparked interest in Whitman’s astronomy program. In his view, ongoing space exploration like that of Artemis II and the Webb Telescope sparks public interest in space and the science behind current space technology.
Junior John Bannon, who served as SPAS President before studying abroad, shared his experiences of Whitman’s astronomy and physics communities. Formerly the Society for Physics Students (SPS), Bannon noted that the group has grown since the club added astronomy to its focus.
SPAS activities include stargazing, participating in monthly Science Nights at Walla Walla elementary schools and bottle-rocket launches.
“From humble beginnings leading a discussion on aerodynamics to a room of 13 people as SPAS’s sole active leader, to weekly leadership meetings between Hanna Schmidt, William Maisonpierre, Noah Wouters and myself…[the Society for Physics and Astronomy Students] has grown to fill the void in Whitman’s science community that I experienced my freshman year,” Bannon said.
Developments like the Artemis II mission draw attention to scientific fields and on-the-ground research on space. The Gesa Power House Theatre was no exception to this trend. Although their screening was not planned to match the launch and return of the Artemis crew, Boyle and others saw the film as a relevant and inspiring look into the trials and tribulations of space flight. On campus, students explore and research the science that makes these flights possible, while public interest in space and astronomy only continues to grow.
