A Historic Lunar Journey
After traveling deeper into space than any other humans, the Artemis II astronauts turned their moonship back toward home on Monday night, concluding a lunar cruise that offered breathtaking views of the far side of the moon never seen before. This mission not only provided rich scientific data but also marked a significant step toward landing boots near the moon’s south pole in just two years.
The crew’s flyby of the moon included more than just scientific observations — it was a celestial sightseeing experience. As they traveled through space, a total solar eclipse greeted them as the moon temporarily blocked the sun from their view. Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn appeared in the black void, while the landing sites of Apollo 12 and 14 were visible, serving as poignant reminders of NASA’s early exploration era over half a century ago.
One of the most remarkable aspects of this mission was the breaking of a distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The NASA Orion capsule reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) from Earth before making a U-turn behind the moon, surpassing the previous record by 4,101 miles (6,600 kilometers).
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen expressed his awe during the mission, stating, “It is blowing my mind what you can see with the naked eye from the moon right now. It is just unbelievable.” He encouraged future generations to ensure that this record does not remain unchallenged for long.
A Message from the Past
Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who passed away last August, left a message for the Artemis II crew, which was beamed up to commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Hansen before their fly-around began. In his message, Lovell said, “Welcome to my old neighborhood. It’s a historic day and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view.”
The Artemis II astronauts carried with them the Apollo 8 silk patch that accompanied Lovell to the moon. “It’s just a real honor to have that on board with us,” Wiseman said.
Artemis II used the same maneuver as Apollo 13 after its oxygen tank explosion made a moon landing impossible. Known as a free-return lunar trajectory, this route takes advantage of Earth and the moon’s gravity, reducing the need for fuel. It creates a celestial figure-eight path that put the astronauts on course for home once they emerged from behind the moon on Monday evening.
A Seven-Hour Highlight
The Artemis II lunar fly-around and intense observation period lasted seven hours, marking the highlight of the nearly 10-day test flight that will conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific on Friday.
The astronauts came as close as 4,067 miles (6,545 kilometers) to the gray dusty surface, zooming through a list of more than two dozen targets using powerful Nikon cameras and their iPhones to capture impact craters and other intriguing lunar features.
Before starting their observations, the crew requested permission to name two bright, freshly carved craters. They suggested “Integrity,” the name of their capsule, and “Carroll,” the name of commander Wiseman’s wife, who died of cancer in 2020.
Wiseman was emotional as Hansen made the request to Mission Control, and all four astronauts embraced in tears. “Such a majestic view out here,” Wiseman radioed once he regained his composure. The astronauts called down that they managed to capture the moon and Earth in the same shot, providing a running commentary to scientists back in Houston on what they were seeing.
At one point, Koch reported an overwhelming sensation of emotion while zooming in on the moon. “Something just drew me in suddenly to the lunar landscape and it became real,” she said.
A Journey Through Space
The Artemis II astronauts made their closest approach to the moon and reached their maximum distance from Earth while they were out of contact. Their speed at closest approach was 3,139 mph (5,052 kph). The spacecraft accelerated as it appeared from behind the moon, and the planned communications blackout sent them on their way back to Earth.
An Earthrise came into view showing Asia, Africa, and Oceania as Mission Control called out: “We are Earthbound and ready to bring you home.” Flight controllers in Houston flipped their mission patches over to signify the return leg.
Wiseman and his crew spent years studying lunar geography to prepare for the big event, adding solar eclipses to their repertoire during the past few weeks. By launching last Wednesday, they ensured themselves of a total solar eclipse from their vantage point behind the moon, courtesy of the cosmos.
Topping their science target list was the Orientale Basin, a sprawling impact basin with three concentric rings, the outermost of which stretches nearly 600 miles (950 kilometers) across.
Their moon mentor, NASA geologist Kelsey Young, expects thousands of pictures.
Looking Ahead
Artemis II is NASA’s first astronaut moonshot since Apollo 17 in 1972. It sets the stage for next year’s Artemis III, which will see another Orion crew practice docking with lunar landers in orbit around Earth. The culminating moon landing by two astronauts near the moon’s south pole will follow on Artemis IV in 2028.
While Artemis II may be following Apollo 13’s path, it is most reminiscent of Apollo 8 and humanity’s first lunar visitors who orbited the moon on Christmas Eve 1968 and read from the Book of Genesis.
Glover said flying to the moon during Christianity’s Holy Week brought home for him “the beauty of creation.” Earth is an oasis amid “a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe” where humanity exists as one, he observed over the weekend.
“This is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing and that we’ve got to get through this together,” Glover said, clasping hands with his crewmates.
