Artemis II Astronauts Capture Stunning Views of Earth During Moonbound Journey

NASA releases first images from the historic crewed mission to the lunar surface

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:04pm

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An abstract, highly structured painting in the style of Hilma af Klint, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise spirals in soft shades of blue, green, and gray, conveying the structural order of the Artemis II spacecraft's journey to the moon.The Artemis II mission's stunning views of Earth from space inspire awe and wonder as humanity reaches for the moon once again.Cape Canaveral Today

The Artemis II astronauts have captured breathtaking images of Earth as they travel towards the moon, NASA announced on Friday. The crew's first downlinked photos show a curved slice of the planet's brilliant blue surface and the entire globe surrounded by swirling white clouds. The mission marks the first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a major milestone in NASA's ambitious Artemis program to return humans to the moon. These stunning images provide a rare glimpse of our home planet from the perspective of astronauts venturing beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time since the Apollo era.

The details

The images were captured by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, 1.5 days into the mission. As of Friday morning, the spacecraft was 90,000 miles from Earth and rapidly approaching the moon, with another 168,000 miles to go before reaching its lunar destination on Monday. The four-person crew - three Americans and one Canadian - will swing around the moon in their Orion capsule before heading straight back home without landing.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on April 3, 2026.
  • The crew captured the first images on April 4, 2026, 1.5 days into the flight.
  • The spacecraft is expected to reach the moon on April 10, 2026.

The players

Reid Wiseman

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

Artemis II

The second crewed mission in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the lunar surface, following the uncrewed Artemis I flight.

NASA

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the government agency responsible for the Artemis program and the historic moon missions.

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What they’re saying

“The Artemis II astronauts have captured our blue planet's brilliant beauty as they zoom ever closer to the moon.”

— Marcia Dunn, AP Reporter

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is expected to reach the moon on Monday, April 10, 2026, where they will perform a lunar flyby before heading back to Earth.

The takeaway

The stunning images from Artemis II showcase the Earth's breathtaking beauty from the unique perspective of astronauts venturing beyond low-Earth orbit, reigniting public excitement for human space exploration and the Artemis program's ambitious goal of returning humans to the lunar surface.