Artemis II Crew Breaks Apollo 13 Record Above Moon

Four astronauts are making history right now, traveling farther from Earth than any human has ever been.

Commander Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen crossed into the Moon's sphere of influence this weekend, four days into their Artemis II mission. They became the first humans to reach lunar space since the Apollo 17 crew landed on the Moon in 1972.

But the real record comes Monday when their Orion spacecraft swings around the Moon's far side. At their farthest point, they'll be 252,757 miles from Earth, breaking Apollo 13's distance record by more than 4,000 miles.

The crew spent their weekend preparing for the lunar flyby. They practiced manual piloting, reviewed their science goals for a six hour observation period, and checked their emergency spacesuits. Between tasks, they've been taking in views that haven't been seen by human eyes in over half a century.

NASA's latest photos show the astronauts gazing at Earth through Orion's windows. The images capture something rare: the wonder of seeing our entire planet from a distance most of us can barely imagine.

Monday's closest approach will bring them within 4,066 miles of the lunar surface at 7:02 PM ET. From that distance, they'll see the entire Moon at once, including regions near the north and south poles that are usually hidden from Earth's view.

The crew will also witness something extraordinary. As Orion, the Moon, and the Sun align, the astronauts will watch our star disappear behind the Moon for about an hour in a perfect solar eclipse.

Why This Inspires

This mission represents more than breaking records. It's proof that humanity's reach continues to extend beyond our planetary home, driven by curiosity and courage.

The diverse crew includes the first woman and first person of color to travel to lunar space. They're paving the way for NASA's planned Moon landing in the coming years, when humans will once again walk on another world.

After decades of orbiting close to Earth, we're finally venturing back into deep space. The views these four astronauts are sharing remind us that exploration isn't just about going farther, it's about expanding what's possible.

Tomorrow's lunar flyby will mark another giant leap forward for human spaceflight.