NASA's Artemis II Mission Surpasses Apollo 13 Distance Record During Lunar Flyby

NASA's Artemis II mission achieved a historic milestone on Monday when the crew traveled farther from Earth than any previous human spaceflight. m. Eastern time, surpassing the Apollo 13 record set in 1970.

m. Eastern time. m. Eastern time. This phase involves intensive observation of the lunar surface. The crew is the first to venture beyond low-Earth orbit since 1972.

the spacecraft looped around the moon's far side, the astronauts observed previously unseen lunar features with the naked eye.

They targeted areas like Ohm crater, comparable in size to the Eye of the Sahara in northwest Africa, under varying lighting conditions to aid scientific analysis of its formation. With most of the far side in darkness, the crew searched for meteor flashes and the glow of lofted dust illuminated by Earth-reflected light. m.

Eastern time, at an altitude of 4,067 miles. Only about 20 percent of the far side was sunlit during the pass. The astronauts noted the terminator line, separating lit and dark regions, as a visually striking feature.

The spacecraft lost radio contact with Earth for approximately 41 minutes starting at 6:44 p.

m. Eastern time, due to the moon blocking signals. This blackout is a planned event and poses no concern, as similar occurrences happened during Apollo missions. Mission control uploaded navigation data beforehand to support the crew's trajectory.

The mission follows a free-return trajectory, allowing the spacecraft to coast back to Earth using gravitational forces even without engine function. NASA officials emphasized preparedness for the blackout, noting astronauts' training for such scenarios.

“That is something we’re very used to in spaceflight.”