The Artemis II crew is preparing for a historic lunar flyby, expected on Monday, that will take them farther from Earth than any previous human mission – surpassing even the Apollo program’s range. The mission, NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, launched from the Kennedy Space Center two days ago.
The astronauts, including three Americans and one Canadian, were toasted by Canada on Saturday as they moved past the halfway point to the moon. They are on course to enter the ‘lunar sphere of influence’ overnight on Sunday, setting a new record for maximum distance from Earth.
The crew is preparing to document never-before-seen views of the Moon’s far side during the fly-around. This mission represents a key step toward a long-term return to the moon and future crewed missions to Mars.
The milestone was reached two days, five hours and 24 minutes after liftoff, marking the first moonbound crew in more than 53 years. NASA has reported satisfaction with the mission’s progress.