NASA’s Artemis II crew just flew farther away from Earth than anyone ever has before
NASA’s Artemis II crew has just set a new distance record in kilometers traveled from Earth. The team of four astronauts is currently circling the Moon, reaching 5,000 miles beyond the natural satellite. This brings the total distance traveled from our home to over 250,000 miles. Gene Roddenberry would be proud.
This beat the previous 1970 record set by the Apollo 13 crew by about 4,000 miles. The four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of NASA and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency – are the first humans to cross the lunar threshold since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
“We’re challenging this generation and the next to make sure this record doesn’t last long,” Commander Reid Wiseman said after crossing the distance threshold. He also suggested that NASA name a lunar crater after the craft itself.
The astronauts do not land on the lunar surface, but perform a long flyby that should provide clear images of the far side of the Moon “that have never been seen” by humans. These areas were too difficult for the various members of the Apollo crew to see clearly. They will also get a glimpse of a solar eclipse, although the crew will be out of contact with mission control for about 40 minutes.
“We’re going to look at the Moon, do some sort of mapping of it, and then continue to go back there in full force,” said Judd Frieling, NASA’s flight director. Astronaut Christina Koch called today’s record a milestone “that people can relate to and relate to.”
As for this mapping, the crew “has a series of different cameras, and they will draw data from them”. This was stated by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who also said that astronauts have been training for this moment for almost four years. This map data will be used to plan future crewed missions to the lunar surface.
The Orion capsule is now returning to Earth. It will fall in about four days. NASA plans a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on April 10, nine days after launch.
Astronaut Victor Glover delivered an Easter message this weekend in which he called Earth an “oasis” and said humanity is “special in all this emptiness.” This contrasts sharply with the Easter message delivered by President Trump.
