Artemis II Crew Captures Detailed Images of Moon's Far Side During Flyby

During the seven-hour approach, they documented lunar topography and observed solar activity.

The spacecraft passed between 6,000 and 7,000 kilometers from the lunar surface, with one source reporting a closest approach of 4,067 miles, or approximately 6,540 kilometers. Astronauts worked in pairs to photograph regions near the south pole, which remain in near-permanent shadow and may contain frozen water resources. These images will support updates to lunar maps for future missions.

primary goal is to verify NASA's ability to conduct a safe crewed lunar orbit.

The crew captured images of features including the Orientale basin, Vavilov crater, and the Hertzsprung basin, highlighting rugged terrain and ancient lava flows. Long shadows from the low-angle sunlight aided in assessing the landscape. The flyby included observations of a solar eclipse lasting 54 minutes from the crew's perspective, with the moon appearing larger than the sun and producing minimal coronal flare.

Venus was visible in some images. m. ET on April 6, the crew photographed Earth rising above the lunar horizon, oriented with north poles to the left.

“As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration.”

Apollo missions, which used film cameras requiring physical return and development, Artemis II employs digital cameras and iPhones for immediate image transmission to Earth. Previous flybys of the far side occurred during Apollo missions, but lacked modern high-resolution recording capabilities.

The crew viewed parts of the far side with unaided eyes for the first time in over 50 years. The far side, often called the dark side, is never visible from Earth due to tidal locking, where the moon's rotation matches its orbital period of about 29 days.

m. ET on April 6, with Australia's illuminated region visible above the lunar horizon near Ohm crater. After the flyby, Orion entered the moon's gravitational influence and began a four-day return to Earth. The capsule is scheduled to re-enter the atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2024.

paves the way for Artemis III, targeting a crewed lunar landing in 2026, and Artemis IV, a landing mission before 2030. Enhanced mapping from these images will aid resource identification for sustained human presence. The mission's success confirms the Orion spacecraft's systems for deep space travel.