Artemis II Crew Captures Rare Lunar Views on Historic Flyby

NASA's Artemis II mission reaches record distance from Earth, becomes first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:00pm

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A bold, abstract painting in soft blue, green, and ochre tones depicting the Artemis II spacecraft's journey around the moon, with sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals representing the structural order of the universe.The Artemis II mission's historic lunar flyby captured stunning new perspectives on Earth's natural satellite, paving the way for future deep space exploration.San Diego Today

NASA's Artemis II spacecraft has traveled farther from Earth than any previous crewed mission, reaching a record distance of 252,756 miles from our planet as it circled the moon. The four-person crew spent roughly seven hours orbiting the lunar surface, capturing stunning images and video of the moon's far side, solar eclipses, and the Earth rising and setting over the horizon.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in humanity's return to deep space exploration, paving the way for future crewed missions to the moon and potentially beyond. The rare views and data collected during this flight will help advance our scientific understanding of the moon and provide crucial insights for planning future lunar expeditions.

The details

During their lunar flyby, the Artemis II crew—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—came within about 4,067 miles of the moon's surface. This allowed them to directly observe certain regions of the lunar far side for the first time without the use of instruments. The astronauts captured a variety of stunning images, including an 'Earthset' showing our planet slipping behind the lunar horizon, a modern recreation of the iconic 'Earthrise' photo, and a prolonged solar eclipse that lasted nearly 54 minutes.

  • On April 6, 2026, the Artemis II spacecraft reached a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth.
  • The crew spent approximately 7 hours orbiting the moon during their flyby.
  • Communication with Mission Control was briefly lost for about 40 minutes as the spacecraft passed behind the moon.
  • The 10-day Artemis II mission is expected to conclude with a Pacific Ocean splashdown near San Diego on Friday evening.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission, a veteran NASA astronaut who has previously flown on the International Space Station.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II spacecraft, a former U.S. Navy test pilot who is making his first spaceflight.

Christina Koch

A mission specialist on Artemis II, an experienced astronaut who has spent over 300 days in space on previous missions.

Jeremy Hansen

The Canadian astronaut participating in the Artemis II mission, representing the Canadian Space Agency.

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the government agency leading the Artemis program and the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“Because humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing. It is the strangest looking thing that you can see so much on the surface.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

“You can see the surface of the moon against the Earthshine. ... It just looks unreal. You can actually see a majority of the moon. It is the strangest looking thing that you can see so much on the surface.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

“It is truly hard to describe and amazing.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

What’s next

After completing its lunar flyby, the Artemis II spacecraft is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on Friday evening, concluding the 10-day mission.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a historic return to deep space exploration, setting new records for human spaceflight and capturing unprecedented views of the moon. The data and imagery collected during this mission will provide invaluable insights to support future crewed lunar expeditions and advance our scientific understanding of Earth's natural satellite.