Artemis II Astronauts Capture Stunning Images of Earth During Moonbound Journey

NASA releases first downlinked photos from the historic crewed mission to the moon.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 1:08am

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An abstract, highly structured painting in soft blues, greens, and golds, depicting the Artemis II spacecraft's trajectory towards the moon and the curved form of the Earth, conveying the grandeur and wonder of this historic spaceflight.The Artemis II astronauts' stunning images of Earth from their historic journey to the moon capture the fragile beauty of our home planet.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 photos show a curved slice of the planet as well as a full view of the globe with swirling clouds and a glowing green aurora. This marks the first crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface. The stunning images captured by the astronauts provide a unique perspective on our home planet and underscore the significance of this historic spaceflight.

The details

The Artemis II crew, which includes three Americans and one Canadian, fired the Orion capsule's main engine on Thursday night to set them on a course towards the moon. As of Friday afternoon, the spacecraft was more than 110,000 miles from Earth and quickly gaining on the moon, with another 150,000 miles to go. The astronauts are expected to reach their lunar destination on Monday, where they will swing around the moon in their Orion capsule before heading straight back home without stopping.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on April 2, 2026.
  • The crew fired the Orion capsule's main engine on the evening of April 2, 2026.
  • NASA released the first downlinked images from the mission on April 3, 2026.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission and one of the astronauts who captured the stunning images of Earth.

Lakiesha Hawkins

A NASA exploration systems leader who commented on the significance of the mission and the crew's first images.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian astronaut and mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Christina Koch

A mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“It's great to think that with the exception of our four friends, all of us are represented in this image.”

— Lakiesha Hawkins, NASA exploration systems leader

“It was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II mission commander

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is expected to reach the moon on Monday, April 7, 2026, where they will swing around the lunar surface before heading back to Earth.

The takeaway

The stunning images captured by the Artemis II astronauts provide a breathtaking perspective on our home planet and underscore the significance of this historic mission, which marks the first crewed journey to the moon since the Apollo era. This mission represents a major milestone for NASA's Artemis program and its goal of returning humans to the lunar surface.