For the first time in over fifty years, a crewed spacecraft has reached the moon, breaking a legendary distance record in the process. On Monday, April 6, the four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission officially traveled farther from Earth than any human beings in history.
The crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—surpassed the previous record of 248,655 miles at 1:56 p.m. ET. That milestone was originally set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970.
The record-breaking moment happened on the sixth day of their mission. The crew launched from Florida on April 1 aboard the Orion spacecraft, powered by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
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The mission will reach its most critical point on Monday evening. At 6:44 p.m. ET, Orion will slip behind the moon, resulting in a scheduled 40-minute communication blackout as the moon’s mass blocks radio signals to Earth. During this time, the spacecraft will reach its closest lunar approach, flying approximately 4,070 miles above the surface.
“The moon looks amazing,” Wiseman told mission control shortly after waking up for the flyby. “If I can pull myself away, I’m going to get myself to work.”
While on the far side, the astronauts will focus on geology, using a pre-set list of targets to photograph craters and basins never visible from Earth. CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen noted that the crew began suggesting names for newly spotted craters. One proposed name was “Carroll,” in honor of Wiseman’s late wife, who passed away in 2020.
The crew also received a recorded message Monday from the late Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell. “I’m proud to pass that torch on to you,” Lovell’s message said. “Don’t forget to enjoy the view.”
As Orion re-emerges from the far side at 7:25 p.m. ET, the crew will witness a dramatic “Earthrise” before entering a window to view a solar eclipse from their unique vantage point in space.
The mission is a final flight test intended to prove Orion’s life-support systems work as intended for long-duration deep space travel. Following the flyby, the spacecraft will use the moon’s gravity to slingshot back toward Earth, concluding the 10-day journey with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
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