Artemis II Crew Completes Historic Lunar Flyby

Astronauts return home after record-breaking journey around the moon

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:56am

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A highly textured, abstract painting in soft shades of blue, green, and gold, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conveying the structural order and grandeur of the Artemis II spacecraft's journey around the moon.The Artemis II crew's historic lunar flyby, capturing the awe-inspiring scale and precision of humanity's return to deep space exploration.San Diego Today

The four-member crew of the Artemis II spacecraft, including Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, completed a spectacular flyby of the moon on Monday, including a trip around the dark side of the lunar surface. The crew set a new record for the farthest distance any human has traveled from Earth at 252,756 miles, breaking the previous record set during Apollo 13 in 1970.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, reigniting public interest and excitement around human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. The successful completion of this mission paves the way for future Artemis program flights that aim to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the moon.

The details

During the 40-minute blackout period when the crew lost radio contact with Mission Control, the Orion capsule made its closest approach to the lunar surface at 4,067 miles. The crew enjoyed maple cream cookies to honor the 'surreal moment' and also witnessed a 53-minute solar eclipse. Other highlights included viewing the landing sites of Apollo 12 and 14, as well as four planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn.

  • On April 7, 2026, the Artemis II crew began its journey back to Earth after the lunar flyby.
  • At 6:44 p.m. ET, the crew lost radio contact with Mission Control for about 40 minutes as they made their closest approach to the lunar surface.
  • At 8:35 p.m. ET, the crew experienced a 53-minute solar eclipse.
  • The lunar flyby, the first since Apollo 17 in 1972, lasted a total of seven hours.
  • The Orion capsule is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The mission's capsule commander and one of the four astronauts on the Artemis II crew.

Victor Glover

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II crew.

Christina Koch

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II crew, who provided the crew with maple cream cookies during the lunar flyby.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who spoke with the Artemis II crew and promised to invite them to the Oval Office to celebrate their achievements.

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What they’re saying

“Y'all knocked it out of the park. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Crew Member

“It's like watching a flame, and the corona during the eclipse resembled 'baby hair' as the sun's light grew more intense.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Crew Member

“It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Crew Member

“I'll ask for your autograph. Because I don't really ask for autographs much, but you deserve that. You really are something. Everybody is talking about this, and I look forward to having you in the Oval Office at the White House, and we will celebrate your incredible achievements and trials.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday, where they will be recovered and transported back to land.

The takeaway

The successful completion of the Artemis II lunar flyby mission represents a significant milestone in the Artemis program, reigniting public enthusiasm for human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and paving the way for future missions that aim to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the moon.