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Artemis II Crew Surpasses Apollo 13 Distance Record from Earth
The Artemis II mission crew has reached a distance of 252,757 miles from Earth, exceeding the previous record set by Apollo 13. This marks the farthest any humans have traveled from the planet. The achievement occurred during the crew's orbital test flight around the Moon.
Apr 6, 2:04 PM·1m read2 sources
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The Artemis II crew achieved a new milestone in human space exploration by traveling farther from Earth than any previous mission. The astronauts reached a maximum distance of 252,757 miles, surpassing the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles by 4,102 miles. This event took place during NASA's Artemis II mission, an uncrewed orbital test flight launched on September 6, 2024.
The mission involves four astronauts: NASA commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Artemis II serves as the first crewed flight of the Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the Moon.
The crew entered lunar orbit earlier in the mission to conduct scientific experiments and test systems for future landings.
NASA confirmed the distance achievement through ground tracking data.
The Apollo 13 mission in 1970 holds the prior record after its crew navigated a crisis to return safely. Artemis II's trajectory allowed the crew to venture beyond this point while maintaining communication with Earth. The current mission duration is planned for approximately 10 days, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean expected around September 16, 2024.
No issues have been reported with the spacecraft, Orion, during this phase. The distance record highlights advancements in propulsion and navigation since the Apollo era.
This record sets the stage for Artemis III, scheduled for 2026, which will attempt the first human landing on the Moon since 1972.
The Artemis program involves international partners, including the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Success in Artemis II validates technologies for sustained lunar presence and eventual Mars missions. The crew's journey provides data on deep space radiation and microgravity effects on humans.
