A Historic Journey to the Moon
The astronauts of Artemis II have now become the farthest humans from Earth in history. This milestone was marked by a deeply emotional moment as the crew proposed naming two craters on the moon after their spacecraft, Integrity, and Commander Reid Weisman’s late wife, Carroll.
During a heartfelt communication while floating 248,655 miles from Earth, Jeremy Hanson shared: “We lost a loved one.” He pointed out a newly discovered crater on the moon’s near side, explaining that it would be visible from Earth at certain times.
“We lost a loved one, her name was Carroll. She was a mother of Katie and Ellie. It’s a bright spot on the moon. We would like to call it Carroll,” he said. The response from NASA was clear: “Integrity and Carroll crater. Loud and clear.”
This six-hour flyby is the highlight of NASA’s first return to the moon since the Apollo era. Just hours before the fly-around and intense lunar observations, the four astronauts surpassed the distance record set by Apollo 13 in April 1970. They continued moving further away, with Mission Control expecting Artemis II to beat the old record by more than 4,100 miles.
A Message from the Past
The astronauts were greeted by the voice of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who recorded a message just two months before his death last August. “Welcome to my old neighborhood,” he said, referencing his own lunar missions. “It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view.”
They carried with them the Apollo 8 silk patch, which accompanied Lovell to the moon. As the crucial flyby approached, they showed it off. “It’s just a real honor to have that on board with us,” said Commander Wiseman. “Let’s go have a great day.”
Artemis II is following the same maneuver used by Apollo 13 after its oxygen tank explosion. Known as a free-return lunar trajectory, this route uses the gravity of Earth and the moon to reduce fuel needs. It forms a celestial figure-eight that will guide the astronauts back to Earth once they emerge from behind the moon.
Commander Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen are on track to pass as close as 4,070 miles (6,550 kilometers) to the moon. Their Orion capsule will whip past the moon, make a U-turn, and head back toward Earth. The journey will take four days, with a splashdown in the Pacific concluding their test flight on Friday.
Scientific Exploration and Celestial Views
Their expected speed at closest approach to the moon is 3,139 mph (5,052 kph). Wiseman and his crew spent years studying lunar geography, adding solar eclipses to their repertoire during the past few weeks.
By launching last Wednesday, they ensured a total solar eclipse from their vantage point behind the moon. Among their science targets is the Orientale Basin, a sprawling impact basin with three concentric rings. Other sightseeing goals include the Apollo 12 and 14 landing sites, as well as the south polar region, a preferred location for future landings.
Farther afield, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn — along with Earth — will be visible.
Preparing for Future Missions
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 taking Apollo 13’s path, it most resembles Apollo 8, when humanity’s first lunar visitors orbited the moon on Christmas Eve 1968 and read from the Book of Genesis.
Glover reflected on the significance of flying to the moon during Christianity’s Holy Week. “The beauty of creation,” he said. “Earth is an oasis amid a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe where humanity exists as one.”
“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.
