Artemis II Crew Nears Moon, Shares First Glimpses of Lunar Far Side

Mission milestones

NASA’s Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, beginning the first crewed lunar flyby in more than five decades. After a six‑minute engine burn, Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Flight Engineer Jeremy Hansen entered a precise trans‑lunar trajectory.

Halfway to the Moon

Three days into the flight the Orion capsule is more than 160,000 miles from Earth, now closer to the Moon than to our planet. NASA’s updates confirm the spacecraft passed the halfway point on April 4, positioning the crew for a historic near‑side and far‑side pass.

First views of the far side

From the capsule’s windows the astronauts reported the first ever human views of the lunar far side, including the rugged Orientale basin. Photographs released by NASA show a striking crescent Earth, swirling cloud tendrils and an unexpected green aurora.

Minor hiccups

The crew dealt with a brief toilet malfunction on day three, but the issue was resolved without impact on mission objectives.

Looking ahead

Artemis II will swing around the Moon later this week, delivering critical data for the planned Artemis IV landing in 2028 and keeping the promise of a sustainable return to lunar exploration.