More breathtaking images released over the weekend from NASA’s Artemis II mission show both the Moon and Earth in all their cosmic glory. Please take a look.
Breathtaking images released over the weekend from NASA’s Artemis II mission show both the moon and Earth in all their cosmic glory as four astronauts head next to the heavens.
The Artemis II crew is within sight of the moon, preparing to set a human record by flying beyond the moon’s surface, about 250,000 miles from Earth. The mission began on April 1 with liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but it wasn’t until Friday, April 3 that astronauts were given the green light to leave Earth orbit and head to the moon.
Along the way, the three Americans and one Canadian captured some of the most stunning views not seen since NASA’s Apollo moon exploration era ended more than 50 years ago.
Here, take a look at all the photos NASA has shared about the Artemis II mission as astronauts prepare for their historic lunar flight.
Artemis II photo
Did you miss seeing the latest photos that NASA shared in a series of social media updates from Friday, April 3rd to Sunday, April 5th?
The gallery below contains all the latest images from the pioneering Artemis II mission.
NASA’s latest Artemis II photos show the moon, Earth and astronauts
NASA’s latest photos of the Artemis II mission provide different views and perspectives of the Artemis II mission as it orbits the Moon.
The images include the astronauts’ first glimpse of the moon and their last glimpse of Earth before they reach the moon’s sphere of influence, where Earth’s natural satellites begin exerting a strong gravitational pull on Orion. These photos also offer a glimpse of what life is like aboard Orion, the 11-foot-tall, 16-1/2-foot-wide spacecraft that will be their home for the duration of the mission.
Artemis II approaches the moon, preparing for historic lunar flight
Artemis II is scheduled to reach the moon on Monday, April 6, for a historic lunar flight.
Astronauts aboard Orion, which plummets off the far side of the moon, are expected to travel the furthest distance from Earth ever reached by humans, surpassing the record of 248,655 miles set in 1970 during the infamous Apollo 13 mission. Astronauts will fly by the moon 6,000 miles above the surface and get a glimpse of the entire celestial disk, a sight not seen even by the Apollo astronauts.
Although they won’t land, their observations and the data they collect will be crucial as NASA prepares to return humans to the moon’s surface as early as 2028.
After their closest approach to the moon, the astronauts will prepare to pilot the Orion spacecraft back into Earth’s orbit, re-enter their home atmosphere on Friday, April 10, and use parachutes to splash down near San Diego off the coast of California.
Where is Artemis II now? Location tracker
Want to follow astronauts along Artemis II’s journey to the moon? NASA has an Artemis II tracker available online and in a mobile app that lets users see where Orion is, how fast it’s moving, and how far the spacecraft is from both Earth and the moon.
The mobile version for smartphones also includes an augmented reality feature that allows users to move their phone to see where Orion is in relation to Earth.
Who are the Artemis II astronauts?
Artemis II’s crew includes NASA astronauts Reed Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency.
The mission will make Glover the first black man to venture near the moon, Koch the first woman and Hansen the first Canadian.
All three Americans are astronauts who have previously been to space on adventures to the International Space Station, with Hansen, a veteran aviator, making his first spaceflight.
Eric Lagatta is a Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Please contact elagatta@usatodayco.com.
