HOUSTON – The launch of the Artemis II mission is bringing renewed business hope to the communities surrounding Johnson Space Center, echoing the economic impact seen during the space shuttle era.
Local business owners along NASA Parkway say the return of human spaceflight to the moon is already generating excitement and customers.
At Frenchie’s Italian Restaurant, a longtime gathering place for astronauts and NASA employees, owner Frankie Camera said he has seen a recent uptick in activity tied to the Artemis program.
“Many times in the past week I have had them for dinner here and I’m very excited,” Camera said. “We have to have the same enthusiasm.”
Camera, who opened the restaurant in 1979 after moving to the United States from Italy in 1973, said his connection to NASA began decades ago with astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher.
“The first astronaut that really started this coming here … was Anna Fisher,” he said.
Camera said Fisher and her husband once stopped by before the restaurant officially opened, asking for a meal. He agreed to cook for them and soon after, more astronauts began visiting.
“That’s how we started,” he said. “Soon the same week we start to have all the astronauts one by one to come here.”
Today, the restaurant walls are covered with signed photos and memorabilia from astronauts who have dined there over the years.
“Every little picture that you see here has some kind of beautiful story,” Camera said. “I still have more picture, but I have no more walls.”
The Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon for the first time in nearly 50 years, is expected to bring increased attention and economic activity to the Clear Lake, Nassau Bay and Webster areas.
During the height of the shuttle program, those communities saw a surge in business driven by NASA employees, contractors and visitors.
After the shuttle program ended, many businesses experienced a decline.
Now, with Artemis II, business owners like Camera are hopeful history could repeat itself.
Beyond the economic impact, Camera said the renewed focus on space exploration brings something less tangible: a sense of excitement he remembers from earlier decades.
“I want them to be happy like they were at that time,” he said. “It’s a lot of work to do.”
As NASA prepares for its next chapter, longtime businesses along NASA Parkway are watching closely, hoping the return to the moon also brings a return to their busiest days.