Artemis astronauts pass half-way point on way to Moon
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The Artemis II mission reached a significant milestone on Saturday, as NASA’s Orion spacecraft successfully crossed the 200,000-mile mark. This achievement marks the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 that humans have traveled beyond Earth’s orbit.
The four-person crew is currently closer to the Moon than to their home planet, maintaining a steady return trajectory that will eventually bring them back to Earth.
During this historic journey, Mission Commander Reid Wiseman captured and transmitted high-definition images. Most notable is a photograph titled ‘Hello, World,’ which shows Earth eclipsing the Sun while vibrant green polar auroras glow against the darkness.
These images represent the first time in over fifty years that human eyes, rather than automated satellites, have documented the ‘Blue Marble’ from such a vast distance in deep space.
Technically, the mission serves as a critical pre-landing test flight to ensure all life-support and communication systems are performing as expected. NASA confirmed that the Orion spacecraft is functioning perfectly as the crew prepares for the most distant point of their trip.
This 10-day mission is the final stepping stone before the Artemis III mission attempts a crewed lunar landing, marking a new era of lunar exploration.
The crew is now on schedule to swing around the far side of the Moon on Monday. This slingshot maneuver will venture farther into space than any human has ever traveled before the spacecraft begins its journey home. Following the lunar flyby, the mission will conclude with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.
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