Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft set a new record on Monday, becoming the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth at 1:57 p.m. ET. During the mission, mission control lost contact with the crew for approximately 40 minutes at around 6:44 p.m. ET as the spacecraft moved behind the moon.
At approximately 7 p.m. ET, the crew achieved its closest approach to the moon, allowing the astronauts to witness parts of the moon’s far side with the naked eye for the first time. Subsequently, at about 8:32 p.m. ET, the spacecraft experienced an eclipse as the sun moved behind the moon, lasting for about an hour. The lunar flyby observation period concluded around 9:35 p.m. ET, following which the crew started transferring images to NASA’s ground team as they began their journey back home.
The Artemis II crew expressed awe at the sights they witnessed during a total solar eclipse on Monday evening, following their record-breaking journey around the moon. Pilot Victor Glover struggled to find words to describe the experience, stating, “It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing.” Commander Reid Wiseman also marveled at the sights, calling them “absolutely spectacular” and “surreal.”
Crew members reported observing flashes from meteors striking the moon, as well as discerning details on the moon’s surface, along with sightings of Mars, Venus, and Saturn in the distance. The historic mission surpassed the previous distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970, with the capsule now heading back towards Earth for a scheduled landing on Friday.
Following the crew’s regain of signal after the expected communication blackout, mission specialist Christina Koch expressed joy, stating, “It is so great to hear from Earth again.” Koch also discussed future space exploration plans, emphasizing the importance of returning to the moon for further research and infrastructure development.
The crew of four astronauts, including Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, have now ventured farther into space than any previous space explorers. The astronauts commemorated their achievement by requesting to name two newly observed lunar craters, proposing the names Integrity and Carroll, the latter in honor of Wiseman’s late wife. Emotional moments were shared among the crew, with Hansen highlighting the majestic views from space.
As the crew prepares to return to Earth after their historic lunar flyby, they are expected to provide valuable data for future moon exploration based on their observations and training. The mission promises unprecedented views of the moon’s far side, including notable lunar landmarks and geological features that were previously unobservable.