Artemis II Lunar Flyby Captivates as Crew Glimpses Moon's Far Side

NASA's historic mission carries four astronauts on a journey around the moon, offering rare insights into lunar mysteries.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 10:39am

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The highly anticipated Artemis II lunar flyby will carry four astronauts on a historic journey around the moon today, including a rare look at its far side, which always faces away from Earth. Excitement is building as the crew is expected to glimpse features of the lunar surface that no human eyes have seen before. Astronaut Christina Koch has already described the experience as 'moon joy' as the spacecraft has drawn closer in recent days.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission represents a significant milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era. The rare views of the lunar far side could provide valuable scientific data and insights that could shape future lunar exploration and research.

The details

From roughly 4,000 miles away, the Artemis II crew is expected to capture unprecedented imagery and data of the moon's far side, which is never visible from Earth. 'The moon we are looking at is not the moon you see from Earth whatsoever,' said astronaut Christina Koch. Mission control has described the crew's growing excitement as 'moon joy' in the lead-up to the flyby. Judd Frieling, the Artemis II ascent flight director, said the mission could offer rare insights into the moon's enduring mysteries.

  • The Artemis II lunar flyby is scheduled for today, April 6, 2026.
  • The crew is expected to glimpse features of the lunar surface that no human eyes have seen before.

The players

Artemis II

NASA's historic mission that will carry four astronauts on a journey around the moon, including a rare look at its far side.

Christina Koch

An astronaut on the Artemis II mission who has described the experience of drawing closer to the moon as 'moon joy'.

Judd Frieling

The Artemis II ascent flight director, who said the mission could offer rare insights into the moon's enduring mysteries.

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What they’re saying

“The moon we are looking at is not the moon you see from Earth whatsoever.”

— Christina Koch, Astronaut

“The Artemis II mission could offer rare insights into the moon's enduring mysteries.”

— Judd Frieling, Artemis II Ascent Flight Director

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is expected to return to Earth in a nearly 10-day expedition after their historic lunar flyby.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a significant milestone in NASA's efforts to return humans to the moon, offering the potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries and a deeper understanding of our closest celestial neighbor.