NASA’s Artemis II crew is heading back to Earth after completing a landmark fly-by of the Moon’s far side, marking a major milestone in human space exploration
During the maneuver, the four astronauts temporarily lost communication with mission control for about 40 minutes as their Orion spacecraft passed behind the Moon—an expected blackout caused by the lunar body blocking signals from Earth.
The mission also set a new record, with the crew traveling as far as 252,756 miles from Earth—the greatest distance ever reached by humans in space.
Commander Reid Wiseman described the journey as unforgettable, saying the crew witnessed views never seen by any human and called the experience “absolutely spectacular.”
After four days of travel from Earth, the spacecraft successfully rounded the Moon and is now on its return path. The journey back is expected to take another four days, with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of the United States on Saturday morning, UK time.
As communication was restored, astronaut Christina Koch expressed relief and excitement, saying it was “so great to hear the Earth again.”
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