York County woman marks Artemis II milestone
ROLE IN GETTING THAT ROCKET INTO SPACE. MARCY, LORI, GERRY MADISON SCHMALTZ IS A GRADUATE HERE FROM DOVER AREA HIGH SCHOOL. SHE’S NOW AN ARTEMIS TEST DRIVER. AND LAST WEEK WHEN THAT ROCKET TOOK OFF, SHE WAS THE ONE WHO GAVE IT THE GO AHEAD TO GO TO THE LAUNCH PAD. THIS IS GTC. I’M GIVING YOU THE GO FOR THE FIRST MOTION OF THE ARTEMIS TWO ROLL FROM THE VAB TO PAD B. THOSE WERE THE WORDS MADISON SCHMALTZ WORKED HER WHOLE CAREER TO SAY FULFILLING A DREAM, A DREAM THAT STARTED BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL. WE TOOK A FAMILY VACATION TO THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, AND THERE WAS THE SATURN FIVE ROCKET, THE APOLLO ROCKET, AND THERE’S A LITTLE SIMULATION. SO THAT WAY IT KIND OF MAKES YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO SIT IN A FIRING ROOM DURING LAUNCH COUNTDOWN. AND THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES. SO THAT’S WHERE THE LOVE FOR SCIENCE FLOURISHED. THE ARTEMIS TWO CREW BROKE A RECORD TRAVELING OVER 250,000 MILES, THE FURTHEST ANYONE HAS EVER BEEN FROM PLANET EARTH. THE MISSION WAS DEEMED A SUCCESS. THAT MEANS THAT ALL OF THE HARD WORK, ALL OF THE TESTS, ALL OF THE HUNDREDS OF HOURS THAT WE PUT INTO BUILDING THIS ROCKET, TESTING THE ROCKET WORKED, AND THEY’RE UP THERE. SO IT IS VERY REWARDING TO SEE THAT THEY ARE UP THERE AND SAFE AND THEY’RE ON THEIR WAY BACK HOME. YORK COUNTY LEADERS ARE JOINING IN, CELEBRATING SCHMALTZ ACHIEVEMENTS. I THINK YORK COUNTY MAKES THE MARK ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD. BUT HERE’S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A YOUNG LADY WHO IS FROM NEW YORK WHO HAS MADE HISTORY. I MEAN, SHE HELPED MOVE THE ROCKET TO THE LAUNCH PAD. HOW COOL IS THAT? ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, SCHMALTZ IS AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, WHERE THEY BUILD AND TEST THE ROCKET, MAKING HISTORY AS ARTEMIS TWO TEST CONDUCTOR. IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO YOUNG LADIES OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN HAVE REALLY COOL CAREERS AS A STEM GRADUATE. AND SO I’M THRILLED THAT AT HER AGE, SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE HER DREAM. EARLY ON IN HER CAREER. SHE SAYS THIS MOMENT FULFILLED A LONGTIME DREAM. IT WAS SUCH A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT, BEING IN THAT FIRING ROOM, LISTENING TO ROCKET LIFTOFF AND JUST KNOWING THAT I WAS A PART OF THAT, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I DREAMED OF EVER SINCE I WAS LITTLE. SW. ALWAYS GO. THESE ASTRONAUTS ARE E
York County woman marks Artemis II milestone
Dover graduate Madison Schmaltz helped information Artemis II’s rollout at Kennedy Space Center, turning a childhood dream right into a historic spaceflight second.
Updated: 2:27 PM EDT Apr 10, 2026
As astronauts aboard Artemis II make historical past, one Susquehanna Valley woman is making her personal mark. Madison Schmaltz, a Dover Area High School graduate, is an Artemis check conductor at Kennedy Space Center. She gave the ultimate go to roll the Artemis II rocket from the VAB to Pad B.”GBCT, this is GTC. You have concurrence for first motion of the Artemis II roll from the VAB to Pad B,” are the phrases Schmaltz stated to maneuver the rocket. Dream began after household journey to Kennedy Space Center “We took a family vacation to the Kennedy Space Center, and there was the Saturn V rocket, the Apollo rocket, and there’s a little simulation,” Schmaltz stated. “That way, it kind of makes you understand what it’s like to sit in a firing room during launch countdown. And that brought tears to my eyes. So that’s where the love for science flourished.” On a day-to-day foundation, Schmaltz works at Kennedy Space Center, the place they construct and check the rockets. The Artemis II mission broke a document by touring greater than 250,000 miles, the farthest anybody has ever been from Earth, earlier than being deemed successful. “That means that all of the hard work, all of the tests, all of the hundreds of hours that we put into building this rocket, testing the rocket worked and they’re there,” Schmaltz stated. “So, it is very rewarding to see that they are up there and safe, and they’re on their way back home.”York County leaders rejoice her achievement”I think York County makes the mark all the time in the world, but here’s just another example of a young lady who’s from York who has made history,” stated Julie Wheeler, York County president commissioner. “I mean, she helped move the rocket to the launch pad. How cool is that?” Schmaltz stated listening to the rocket raise off from the firing room was a full-circle second. We are past thrilled to see considered one of our personal dwelling out of her dream. She is an inspiration to us all. Ms. Schmaltz serves as an impressive function mannequin for our college students, displaying them what a Dover graduate can obtain. We could not be prouder and want her continued success in her endeavors.Dr. Rina HouckSuperintendent.Dover Area School District
As astronauts aboard Artemis II make historical past, one Susquehanna Valley woman is making her personal mark.
Madison Schmaltz, a Dover Area High School graduate, is an Artemis check conductor at Kennedy Space Center. She gave the ultimate go to roll the Artemis II rocket from the VAB to Pad B.
“GBCT, this is GTC. You have concurrence for first motion of the Artemis II roll from the VAB to Pad B,” are the phrases Schmaltz stated to maneuver the rocket.
Dream began after household journey to Kennedy Space Center
“We took a family vacation to the Kennedy Space Center, and there was the Saturn V rocket, the Apollo rocket, and there’s a little simulation,” Schmaltz stated. “That way, it kind of makes you understand what it’s like to sit in a firing room during launch countdown. And that brought tears to my eyes. So that’s where the love for science flourished.”
On a day-to-day foundation, Schmaltz works at Kennedy Space Center, the place they construct and check the rockets. The Artemis II mission broke a document by touring greater than 250,000 miles, the farthest anybody has ever been from Earth, earlier than being deemed successful.
“That means that all of the hard work, all of the tests, all of the hundreds of hours that we put into building this rocket, testing the rocket worked and they’re there,” Schmaltz stated. “So, it is very rewarding to see that they are up there and safe, and they’re on their way back home.”
York County leaders rejoice their achievement
“I think York County makes the mark all the time in the world, but here’s just another example of a young lady who’s from York who has made history,” stated Julie Wheeler, York County president commissioner. “I mean, she helped move the rocket to the launch pad. How cool is that?”
Schmaltz stated listening to the rocket raise off from the firing room was a full-circle second.
“It was such a full circle moment, being in that firing room, listening to the rocket lift off and just knowing that I was a part of that, and it was something that I dreamed of ever since I was little,” Schmaltz stated.
Dover Area School District Statement
The Dover Area School District is extremely pleased with Ms. Schmaltz. We are past thrilled to see considered one of our personal dwelling out of her dream. She is an inspiration to us all. Ms. Schmaltz serves as an impressive function mannequin for our college students, displaying them what a Dover graduate can obtain. We could not be prouder and want her continued success in her endeavors.
Dr. Rina Houck
Superintendent.Dover Area School District
