Artemis II crew heads home after record-setting lunar flyby

The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission is heading homeward after looping around the far side of the moon, the first time humans have traveled to the lunar neighborhood in more than 50 years.

Artemis II’s Orion capsule made a close approach of about 4,067 miles above the lunar surface on April 6. The mission trajectory brought the astronauts around the far side of the moon, where they photographed views of the lunar surface never seen before by human eyes. Splashdown is expected off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday, April 10.

Earlier in the day, at 12:56 p.m. CDT, the crew surpassed the Apollo 13 distance record. At their furthest point, Artemis II traveled 252,756 miles from Earth — 4,111 miles beyond the record set in 1970.

The mission is crewed by NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The spacecraft, named Integrity by the crew, launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1.

Mission pilot Victor Glover practiced manual control of the Orion spacecraft in tests designed to support future rendezvous with lunar landing vehicles. The crew also tested life support systems and donned spacesuits mid-flight, a procedure future crews might need in an emergency.

When communications briefly cut out as the spacecraft passed behind the moon, the crew gathered to share maple cream cookies courtesy of Hansen to mark what Commander Wiseman called a “surreal moment.”

Midway through their lunar observation period, the Artemis II crew members – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – pause to turn the camera around for a selfie inside the Orion spacecraft. (Photo courtesy of NASA)

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman asked the crew to describe the journey in a word. Koch responded with “humility.” “We would never be here if it weren’t for so many people that came before us, starting with Neil Armstrong, Katherine Johnson, civil rights movement leaders, everyone who worked on this spacecraft before we got here,” she said.

The mission is a test flight for the broader Artemis program. Artemis III, scheduled for mid-2027, will conduct rendezvous and docking tests with commercial lunar landers in Earth orbit. Artemis IV, targeted for early 2028, is planned to be the first American crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972.

The Daily Planet’s Daniel Sanchez spoke with former NASA flight director John Curry, who shared with us the most important things he’s learned, what it will take to co-exist on the moon, and if humanity can live in space in our lifetime.