NASA's Artemis II crew reached a historic milestone on Saturday as the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft were informed they were now closer to the Moon than to Earth — the first humans to venture beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The crew of Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1 and are on course for a lunar flyby on Monday, when they will orbit the far side of the Moon and set a new human distance record from Earth of 252,757 miles — surpassing the Apollo 13 record.
The mission, which has been described as the most significant human spaceflight in over half a century, is a 10-day crewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft ahead of future Artemis missions that aim to return humans to the lunar surface. Splashdown is planned for April 10 in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.
The crew have been exercising using a flywheel device, practising medical response procedures, and testing the emergency communications system as they prepare the Orion cabin for the lunar observation period. On Saturday, flight controllers were also evaluating a minor issue with the spacecraft's toilet, which the crew reported a "burning smell" from — though they received clearance to continue using it.
Christina Koch, who becomes the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and near the Moon, shared a message with her family from space, describing the view of Earth from the Orion capsule as "spectacular." Victor Glover will be the first person of colour to venture within the vicinity of the Moon, while Jeremy Hansen is the first non-US citizen and first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit.
The mission has captured enormous public interest in the UK and Ireland, with the crew's journey being followed closely by space enthusiasts and schools across both nations. The UK has contributed significantly to the Artemis programme through its involvement in the European Service Module, built by Airbus in Bremen with components manufactured across Europe.
On Monday, during the six-hour lunar flyby, communications with Earth are expected to be lost for 30-50 minutes as Orion passes behind the far side of the Moon — a moment that will mark the furthest humans have ever been from home.
