Brian May reacts as Queen's 'Under Pressure' wakes Artemis II astronauts in space

Brian May is over the moon—literally—after learning that Under Pressure was used to wake astronauts aboard Artemis II.

The iconic track, a collaboration between Queen and David Bowie, was part of the wake-up playlist selected for the Artemis II crew. According to NASA, the song played on day eight of the mission, helping rouse astronauts during their 10-day journey around the Moon.

Reacting to the moment on Instagram, May, who also holds a degree in astrophysics, said he was “happy” by the choice.

 

 

 

 

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“Happy to be waking up the heroes in their spaceship rounding up their amazing trip around the Moon!!” he wrote. “Happy landings guys!! You rock!!! Bri.”

Originally released in October 1981, “Under Pressure” became one of Queen’s most celebrated hits. The track later appeared on their 1982 album Hot Space and achieved major chart success, reaching number 1 in the UK and landing in the top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The song has continued to influence pop culture over the decades, most notably being sampled in Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice.

For May, the moment represents a unique crossover between his two passions—music and space. With “Under Pressure” now part of a historic lunar mission, the legendary guitarist’s work has quite literally reached new heights.