The four‑astronaut crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission has begun its journey back to Earth after completing the first crewed lunar fly‑by in more than half a century and setting a new human spaceflight distance record.
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen reached a peak distance of 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometres) from Earth during the lunar fly‑by on Monday, April 6, 2026, surpassing the previous mark set by the crew of Apollo 13 in 1970.
The mission, the first crewed flight of NASA’s Orion spacecraft under the Artemis programme, is designed to test key systems and operations needed for future lunar landings and deeper space exploration.
Artemis II launched on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on an approximately 10‑day trajectory around the Moon and back.
During the lunar fly‑by, Orion passed behind the Moon, resulting in a planned communications blackout of about 40 minutes while the spacecraft was out of direct contact with Earth‑based antennas. After signal was restored, the crew resumed routine operations.
READ ALSO: NASA Executes First Medical Evacuation, Returns Four Astronauts
Astronauts also witnessed a total solar eclipse from deep space, spending about an hour documenting the event from their unique vantage point beyond Earth’s orbit.
Following completion of the lunar fly‑by, President Donald Trump engaged with the crew in a live conversation, congratulating them and describing their achievement as a milestone for human space exploration.
The crew also spoke with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and responded to questions from the public.
NASA mission planners expect Orion to re‑enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the U.S. West Coast on Friday, April 10, 2026, concluding the mission.
The Artemis II flight lays the groundwork for the next phase of lunar exploration, including the Artemis III mission, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface in the coming years.