Artemis II: Journey to the Moon's Shadowed Side

The Artemis II mission has achieved a historic milestone, as NASA's four-person crew entered the moon's gravitational sphere early Monday morning. This significant step precedes their trip over the moon's shadowed far side, setting them on the path to become the farthest-flying humans in history.

Aboard their Orion capsule, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen are expected to reach a record-breaking distance of roughly 252,760 miles, surpassing the previous 56-year-old record held by Apollo 13's crew. As the crew navigates this critical phase, they prepare to document the lunar surface's dark side using professional cameras.

This mission represents the first crewed test flight of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2028. It fosters plans for a sustained U.S. presence on the lunar surface, potentially serving as a springboard for future Mars expeditions, with communication blackouts expected during the lunar flyby.