Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

Personnel from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Space Training and Readiness Command's Space Detachment 1, along with fifth-grade students from Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning, gather beside the Academy's first Artemis Moon Tree following its plaque unveiling ceremony at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 16, 2024. Notable attendees include U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Linell A. Letendre, Dean of the Faculty (third from left); Maj. Lucia White, Academy instructor (second from right); and Col. Marc Sands, Commander of Space Detachment 1 (far right), whose collaborative efforts were instrumental in bringing the Moon Tree to the Academy. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

U.S. Air Force Academy and Space Detachment 1 personnel host a plaque unveiling ceremony with students from the Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 15, 2024. The event celebrated the planting of USAFA’s first Artemis Moon Tree, with the plaque set to be installed next summer. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, right, the U.S. Air Force Academy’s 22nd Superintendent, and Brig. Gen. Linell A. Letendre, Dean of the Faculty, are joined by students from the Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning as they unveil a plaque for the Academy's first Artemis Moon Tree during a ceremony at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 15, 2024. The event celebrated the planting of USAFA’s first Moon Tree, with the plaque set to be installed next summer. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Linell A. Letendre, Dean of the Faculty at the U.S. Air Force Academy, speaks with fifth-grade students from Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning during a plaque unveiling ceremony for the Academy's first Artemis Moon Tree in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 16, 2024. This event, held in collaboration with Space Training and Readiness Command's Space Detachment 1, symbolizes a shared commitment to space exploration and education. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Roy D. Bridges Jr., a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and former NASA astronaut, speaks with fifth-grade students from Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning during a STEM engagement event at the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 16, 2024. The event, held in collaboration with Space Training and Readiness Command's Space Detachment 1, was paired with a plaque unveiling ceremony for the Academy's first Artemis Moon Tree, symbolizing a shared commitment to space exploration and education. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

U.S. Space Force Maj. Lucia White, an Air Force Academy instructor, stands with her child beside the Academy's first Artemis Moon Tree planted near the U.S. Air Force Academy Planetarium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 15, 2024. Maj. White led the application process, and through collaborative efforts between the Academy and Space Training and Readiness Command's Space Detachment 1, was instrumental in bringing and planting the Moon Tree at the Academy. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

An American Sweetgum sapling, grown from seeds that orbited the Moon aboard NASA’s Artemis I mission in 2022, is planted near the U.S. Air Force Academy Planetarium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 15, 2024. This is the Academy's first Artemis Moon Tree, made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Academy and Space Training and Readiness Command's Space Detachment 1. (Courtesy photo)

Artemis Moon Tree Finds Home at USAFA Through STARCOM Partnership

Published Dec. 7, 2024
By Ethan Johnson
Space Training and Readiness Command Public Affairs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- On November 15, 2024, the U.S. Air Force Academy unveiled a plaque for its first Artemis Moon Tree—an American Sweetgum sapling grown from seeds that orbited the moon on NASA’s Artemis I mission. This historic event was made possible through a partnership between the Academy and Space Detachment 1 of Space Delta 13, under the Space Training and Readiness Command.

The Sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) symbolizes a connection between Earth and space, continuing the legacy of the original Apollo Moon Trees grown from seeds that orbited the moon on Apollo 14 in 1971. In tribute, NASA initiated the Artemis Moon Tree program, sending a new generation of seeds around the moon aboard Artemis I in late 2022. After their return, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service cultivated these seeds into seedlings, distributing them to select institutions nationwide as part of a STEM engagement (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and conservation education initiative.

A Collaborative Effort

Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre, the Academy’s Dean of Faculty, and Col. Marc Sands, Space Detachment 1 Commander and senior Space Force liaison to the Academy, supported the application process led by Maj. Lucia White, an Academy instructor and Space Force officer with a master’s degree in botany. White submitted the proposal to NASA in August 2023, competing against over 1,000 applicants nationwide.

“Maj. White was the catalyst behind making this happen. Her vision and passion led her to the Detachment where we simply supported helping her achieve her goal: bring a Moon Tree to the Academy to further the connection between space, academics, and the Space Force,” said Sands. “For generations to come, the community and members of the Academy will be able to see the results of her efforts – truly amazing the impact she has made.”

Approval arrived unexpectedly during the Academy’s 2024 graduation week, leaving a narrow window to plant the tree before winter. With support from the U.S. Air Force Academy Memorial Board, White successfully planted the tree near the Academy’s Planetarium on June 14, 2024.

“It’s not every day you get a phone call from NASA, or news that you’ll be receiving a tree whose seed ventured into deep space. I was ecstatic when they told me we were selected and couldn’t wait to share with the cadets,” said White.

Inspiring the Next Generation

On November 15, the Academy and the Detachment hosted a STEM engagement event with fifth-grade students from Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning, followed by the plaque unveiling ceremony.

During the STEM engagement, students participated in hands-on activities observing gravitropism—how plants respond to gravity—using Wisconsin Fast Plants. These fast-growing plants are slated to be the first to flower on the lunar surface during NASA’s Artemis III mission, currently scheduled for no earlier than September 2026, providing a tangible link to the Moon Tree’s legacy.

The event was organized in collaboration with the Academy’s STEM Outreach Coordinator Stacey Lazzelle and biology researcher Melanie Grogger, who designed the activity. Cadets from the Academy’s i5 program also volunteered as mentors, bridging the gap between young learners and future STEM professionals.

Bridging Past and Future

Before the ceremony, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Roy D. Bridges Jr., a distinguished Academy graduate and former NASA astronaut, shared his journey from growing up on a farm to piloting the Space Shuttle Challenger, encouraging students to think boldly about their futures and consider careers in science and exploration.

During the ceremony, Brig. Gen. Letendre was joined by Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, Academy Superintendent, where they unveiled a replica of the plaque with the students. The official plaque will be installed at the base of the Moon Tree next summer.

Addressing the young students in attendance, Letendre remarked, “Remember that this tree is also for you. Let it inspire you to ask questions, to dream boldly, and to explore new horizons. Keep reaching for the stars, keep imagining, and keep exploring.”

The ceremony concluded with group photos beside the Artemis Moon Tree.

Now rooted in the Academy’s grounds, the Artemis Moon Tree reflects the strong partnership between the Academy and STARCOM, underscoring their shared commitment to training and inspiring future generations of space leaders.