Artemis II Achieves Historic Moon Flyby

On Monday night, Artemis II marked a significant moment by executing the farthest manned mission from Earth, flying around the moon.

NASA unveiled striking images from this remarkable flyby on Tuesday morning.

“On the far side of the moon, 452,756 miles away, Reed, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy have traveled farther from Earth than any human in history.”

Both the White House and NASA shared some stunning photos on social media, showcasing perspectives that included a view of a total solar eclipse from the far side of the moon.

NASA drew comparisons to iconic “Earthrise” imagery, also releasing a picture captured by William Anders during the historic Apollo 8 mission. They noted that this is the first photograph taken from the moon’s far side.

Another image released shows the Orientale Basin—an area mostly obscured from Earth. “The Artemis II crew captured this image showing the ring of Orientale Basin during its lunar flight on April 6. At the 10 o’clock position in the basin, two small craters that the crew proposed to name Integrity and Carol are visible,” NASA explained.

The mission’s approach to the moon began Monday afternoon and lasted several hours.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman shared remarks celebrating this groundbreaking achievement, updating the progress of astronauts Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen:

Artemis II has reached its maximum distance from Earth. On the far side of the moon, 452,756 miles away, Reed, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy begin their journey home, farther from Earth than any human in history. They had hoped the mission would go unnoticed, yet it will be remembered as a time when people began to believe that America could tackle the near-impossible again. Congratulations to this fantastic crew, the entire NASA team, and our international and commercial partners. However, the mission isn’t complete until they safely parachute down and land in the Pacific Ocean.