NASA’s Artemis II crew has set a new record for farthest human spaceflight. CDT Monday, the four astronauts reached 248,655 miles from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13’s 1970 record. Their Orion spacecraft will peak at roughly 252,756 miles before returning home.
Six days into the mission, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA’s Jeremy Hansen are photographing the Moon. “They are charting new frontiers for all humanity,” said Dr. Lori Glaze of NASA Headquarters.
Launched April 1 on an SLS rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Orion set course for the Moon after Earth-orbit burns. Hansen gave emotional remarks: “We surpass the furthest distance honoring our predecessors. We challenge this generation to ensure this record is not long-lived.”
The crew has proposed naming two lunar craters—one for their spacecraft, Integrity, and another for Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll. Proposals will go to the International Astronomical Union post-mission.
During their lunar flyby, they will come within 4,067 miles of the Moon’s surface, becoming the first humans to see certain far-side regions. They will also witness a solar eclipse as the Moon blocks the Sun. A planned 40-minute communications blackout will occur when the Moon interrupts signals via the Deep Space Network.
Cameras aboard will capture never-before-seen lunar features, while astronauts use handheld cameras for high-resolution imagery. Their observations—four pairs of human eyes—provide invaluable science.
The crew is more than halfway through the mission, scheduled to splash down off San Diego on Friday, April 10, at 8:07 p.m. EDT. Recovery teams will retrieve them via helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks before returning to NASA Johnson. Artemis II paves the way for future lunar bases and crewed Mars missions.
