NASA's Artemis II Mission Completes Lunar Flyby and Heads Toward Earth Return

NASA's Artemis II mission, launched on September 16, 2024, has completed its lunar flyby with four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft. The crew, consisting of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and European Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, traveled farther from Earth than any humans before, setting a new distance record.

The mission marked the first human trip around the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

During the flyby, the astronauts captured images, including an Earthset photo similar to Apollo 8's 1968 Earthrise image. They also named a moon crater after Carroll Wiseman, the late wife of commander Reid Wiseman, who died in 2020.

Tuesday, the Artemis II crew established the first radio linkup between a moon-bound spacecraft and the International Space Station, 230,000 miles (370,000 kilometers) apart.

The call connected the four lunar travelers with the station's three NASA astronauts and one French astronaut. Christina Koch, on Artemis II, spoke with Jessica Meir on the station; the two previously conducted the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.

" — Christina Koch and Jessica Meir reference, October 1, 2024 (The Independent) Houston's Mission Control facilitated the conversation as the crew headed home.

m. Eastern time while traveling around the moon's far side.

The Artemis II flight tested Orion's systems for deep space travel.

President Trump praised the crew in a call during the mission. Families of the astronauts supported the effort from the ground, with the mission beginning at crew assignment. The 10-day test flight aims for a splashdown off the San Diego coast on Friday.

Artemis III is planned for next year as a lunar lander docking demonstration in Earth orbit. Artemis IV is scheduled for 2028, with two astronauts attempting to land near the lunar south pole.

The crew observed a solar eclipse during the journey.

Graphics from the mission highlighted exploration of the moon's far side. The test flight has proceeded without reported issues, validating systems for future lunar surface missions.