NASA Releases First Artemis II Earth Photos As Crew Travels Toward Moon
Key Takeaways
- Artemis II launched April 1, 2026, with four astronauts aboard Orion for a lunar flyby.
- NASA released first Earth images from Artemis II, captured from Orion en route to Moon.
- Crew is halfway to the Moon, continuing a 10-day mission around the Moon.
Historic Journey Begins
Artemis II fired its engines to propel four astronauts out of Earth orbit toward the moon.
The crew includes three Americans and one Canadian, the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon.
Wiseman captured the first images from inside the spacecraft, showing Earth with cloud formations and a green aurora.
The nearly 10-day mission is NASA's bold step toward returning humans to the lunar surface by 2028.
Mission Milestones and Roles
The Orion spacecraft was approximately 161,700 miles from Earth and closing in on the moon.
The spacecraft will fly roughly 4,066 miles above the lunar surface at closest approach.
Victor Glover will take manual control to test performance in deep space.
Glover is the first Black man, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first Canadian to venture near the moon.
Scientific Observation and Preparation
The crew will study and photograph the lunar surface during their six-hour flyby.
NASA aims for a sustainable moon base by 2028.
The mission serves as a critical demonstration that the Orion crew capsule can handle a lunar mission.
The spacecraft will return with a splashdown on April 10.
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