Artemis II Nears Lunar Flyby, Set to Break Distance Record
NASA's Artemis II mission approaches a lunar flyby, poised to surpass Apollo 13's distance record, with a crewed return to the Moon after over five decades.
NASA's Artemis II mission is on course for a lunar flyby scheduled for Monday, April 6, marking the first crewed journey toward the Moon in over 50 years. The mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, 2026, includes astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen.
On April 2, the Orion spacecraft executed a translunar injection burn, propelling it out of Earth's orbit toward the Moon. This maneuver, lasting nearly six minutes, was crucial for setting the spacecraft on its trajectory.
As of Sunday, April 5, Orion was approximately 60,000 miles from the Moon, traveling at 1,592 mph. The crew has been actively testing the spacecraft's systems, conducting manual control demonstrations, and preparing for the upcoming lunar observations.
During the lunar flyby, the crew will approach within 4,000 miles of the Moon's surface, capturing images of rarely seen regions, including parts of the far side and the Orientale Basin. They will also witness a solar eclipse from space, providing a unique opportunity to observe the solar corona.
The mission is set to surpass Apollo 13's distance record by over 4,100 miles, reaching a maximum distance of 252,757 miles from Earth. After completing the flyby, Orion will begin its return journey, with splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego scheduled for April 10.
