Highlights: Artemis II astronauts circle the moon on record-breaking NASA mission

Isaacman ended the event by acknowledging the eager anticipation on Earth as the public waits to see the photos taken during today's flyby.

"There are a couple billion people back here on Earth that are extremely excited to look at the the imagery you’ve captured up there," he said.

Isaacman thanked the Artemis II crew members for their work and wished them a safe journey home.

"On behalf of NASA and space-loving people across the world, thank you for taking us with you to the moon," he said. "Thanks for your courage, all your beautiful words that we've heard. You represent the absolute best of us. We are proud of you, and we look forward to welcoming you back safely to the good Earth very soon. Godspeed and go Artemis II."

Wiseman said the astronauts enjoyed a quick treat of maple cream cookies during the communications blackout as they flew around the far side of the moon.

"We did have maple cookies," he said. "We just gathered together for about 30 seconds. Each one of us had a maple cream cookie, and then right back into the science."

Glover said he and his colleagues have learned a lot from this flight and have plenty to pass on to the crew of the Artemis III flight, which is scheduled to launch next year.

"We've almost got a book to hand them," Glover said.

He mentioned that "how you pack is a huge impact to how you will live on the journey," adding that the next crew members should consider things like food and hygiene products. Glover also nodded to the mission's troubles with the onboard space toilet.

"We definitely have to fix some of the plumbing," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in response.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is leading a 20-minute Q&A with the Artemis II astronauts. He started by asking the crew members what surprised them most about seeing the moon up close.

"When we were on the far side of the moon, looking back on Earth, it’s just so obvious you had this sphere out in front of you, the moon," Hansen said. "You really felt like you weren’t in a capsule — you’d been transported to the far side of the moon, and it really just bent your mind. It was an extraordinary human experience."

NASA’s Artemis II crew following the lunar flyby.  NASA

Koch talked about how fast the mission has gone by.

"I’m not ready to go home," she said. "I can’t believe that something this cramped of quarters can fly by and still be fun every single minute."

Trump asked the Artemis II astronauts to share some of their favorite moments from today's flyby.

"As we came around the near side of the moon, seeing all the sites that we've seen from Earth for all our lives, but we're seeing them from a different perspective," Wiseman said, adding that he and his colleagues had the chance to see sites on the lunar surface that no humans had seen before.

Wiseman also spoke about the experience of witnessing a solar eclipse from the moon and seeing Mars in the distance.

Trump speaks with Artemis II crew after moon flyby: 'Made all of America really proud'

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"All of us commented how excited we are to watch this nation, and this planet, become a two-planet species," he said.

Hansen then thanked Trump for NASA's partnership with the Canadian Space Agency.

Trump ended by saying he looks forward to welcoming the four astronauts to the White House and asking for their autographs, something he said he "doesn't really ask for" often.

"But you deserve that," Trump said.

President Donald Trump relayed a special congratulatory message to the Artemis II astronauts.

"Very special hello to Artemis II," he radioed to the crew members in space. "Today you've made history and made all of America really proud."

He congratulated Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen, calling them "brave" and "modern-day pioneers."

"America will be second to none in space and everything else that we’re doing, and we will continue to lead the whole thing, into the stars," Trump said.

The Artemis II astronauts are the first humans ever to take in a total view of the far side of the moon.

Historic mission over far side of the moon

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Now that the solar eclipse has ended, the mission's lunar observation period has also come to a close, NASA said.

Wiseman called the eclipse "an absolutely spectacular, magnificent experience."

"If you could give me about 20 new superlatives in the mission summary tomorrow, it would help my vocabulary out a bit," he joked.

After a packed day, the astronauts are on their way back to Earth.

At 1:25 p.m. on Tuesday, the Orion capsule is expected to exit the lunar sphere of influence — when Earth’s gravitational pull on the spacecraft becomes stronger than the pull of the moon’s gravity — at a distance of roughly 41,072 miles from the moon, according to NASA.

Tomorrow, the astronauts will enjoy some well-earned off-duty time, allowing them to rest before they prepare to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and return home.

The astronauts are scheduled to reach Earth on Friday, with the mission culminating in a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego.

Glover, the Artemis II pilot, talked about how baffling the views out of the Orion capsule's windows have been during the solar eclipse.

"I know this observation won’t be of any scientific value," he said, "but I’m really glad we launched on April 1."

Had the astronauts lifted off later in the April launch window, the timing would not have aligned for the crew members to witness the solar eclipse from the moon.

"Humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing," Glover said. "It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing."

Other astronauts agreed with that assessment.

"It's indescribable," Wiseman said. "No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of us. It is absolutely spectacular, surreal."

The Artemis II astronauts reported seeing at least four impact flashes, the term for visible glints of light caused by asteroids striking the moon.

Wiseman said he saw two impacts and Hansen saw another two when the Orion capsule did not have a signal to communicate with NASA.

"There was a little bit of giddiness," Wiseman said.

"Amazing news," said Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead. She added that she noticed one NASA team at Mission Control "jumping up and down literally" upon hearing that the crew had captured the phenomenon.

Impacts are common on the moon because it lacks an atmosphere to protect it from incoming debris. Studying such types of cosmic crashes can help scientists understand such events and piece together how the moon has evolved over time.

Hansen provided vivid descriptions of the solar eclipse to mission controllers in Houston.

"One of the other things I want to describe, which was surprising to me, but the entire moon is lit up," he said. "It's glowing behind the entire moon."

Hansen said he thought the moon would appear dark against the blackness of space, but the sun lit up the moon from behind. He described the glow as measuring "easily 10 widths or diameters of the sun around the entire moon."

Scott Manley, a science YouTube personality, shared a photo on X of today's lunar flyby on a TV screen at a bar, sandwiched between broadcasts of baseball games. The social media post hints at the cultural significance of the Artemis II mission, as four astronauts circle the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

The eclipse is happening.

Glover reported on the scene just before the moon completely covered the sun.

"The sun has gone behind the moon. The corona is still visible, and it’s bright, and it creates a halo under almost the entire moon," he said. "The moon is just hanging in front of us — this black orb."

Glover said the crew could see stars and planets behind the moon.

"It is quite an impressive sight," he said.

The astronauts will soon have a unique opportunity to view a solar eclipse from space. They will become the first humans to witness an eclipse from the moon, according to NASA.

The eclipse will begin at 8:35 p.m. ET, when the sun slips behind the moon. During that time, the moon will block the sun's light from the perspective of the Orion capsule. The four astronauts will need to don special eclipse glasses (the same ones many people wore during the 2024 total solar eclipse that crossed the U.S.) to protect their eyes until the moon fully blocks the sun.

The celestial event will last almost an hour, according to NASA. The moon will appear mostly dark, giving the crew a chance to study its outermost atmosphere, known as the corona, and look for flashes of light from rocky objects smacking into it.

The astronauts will also have a chance to take pictures of other planets that could be visible during the eclipse, including Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn.

As their lunar flyby nears its conclusion, the Artemis II astronauts will get ready to spend the next three days journeying home.

Jenni Gibbons, the capsule communicator in Mission Control, marked the occasion by sending a special message to Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen. Before their flight, the astronauts left mission patches with flight controllers in Houston. On one side, the patch showed the Artemis II logo with Earth in the foreground and the moon in the distance. Now, mission controllers switched those views.

"All of your flight controllers and your flight director have flipped their Artemis II patches around," Gibbons said. "We are Earthbound and ready to bring you home."

As the Orion spacecraft emerged around the opposite side of the moon and communications were re-established with mission controllers, Koch had a poignant message for everyone back at home.

"It is so great to hear from Earth again," she said. "To Asia, Africa and Oceania, we are looking back at you. We hear you can look up and see the moon right now. We see you, too."

She added that journeying to the moon has given the astronauts a deeper appreciation of Earth.

"We will explore," she said. "We will build. We will build ships. We will visit again. We will construct science outposts. We will drive rovers. We will do radio astronomy. We will found companies. We will bolster industry. We will inspire. But ultimately, we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other."

After the planned 40-minute communications blackout, mission controllers have once again picked up communications with the Artemis II astronauts. The blackout began at around 6:43 p.m. ET, when the Orion capsule passed behind the moon. Signals were acquired once again when the spacecraft emerged on the opposite side.

As the astronauts emerged from the communications blackout, they got to experience "Earthrise," when Earth came back into view on the opposite edge of the moon.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated the Artemis II astornauts on setting a new distance record from Earth.

"On the far side of the Moon, 252,756 miles away, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history and now begin their journey home," Isaacman said in a statement on X.

"Before they left, they said they hoped this mission would be forgotten, but it will be remembered as the moment people started to believe that America can once again do the near-impossible and change the world," he wrote.

Isaacman closed by congratulating the crew and the entire NASA team, along with the agency's international and commercial partners.

He added that the mission "isn't over until they're under safe parachutes, splashing down into the Pacific."

The Orion capsule is in the middle of a planned communications blackout at the moment, but the Artemis II astronauts have reached their farthest distance from Earth.

At around 7:02 p.m. ET, NASA estimated that the crew members flew 252,756 miles from Earth, which is more than 4,100 miles farther than the Apollo 13 astronauts did on their emergency return home.

The Artemis II astronauts have reached their closest distance to the moon, flying about 4,067 miles above the lunar surface. The closest approach occurred at around 7 p.m. ET.

The Orion capsule is in a planned communications blackout at this time as the spacecraft passes behind the moon. During this roughly 40-minute period, the moon blocks the radio signals needed for mission controllers to maintain contact with the astronauts.

NASA has said it will confirm the exact timing and distance of the spacecraft's closest pass by the moon after communications resume and it can analyze the data.

Just before Earth comes back into view for the astronauts, a moment known as "Earthrise," the crew members will try to glimpse lofted lunar dust just above the moon's surface.

The dust can be seen only shortly before Earthrise, when the particles start to become illuminated by the Earth's light. The observation window will be short, however, because once Orion swings all the way around the moon, the brightness of Earth will wash out any potential sightings of the moon dust.

The Artemis II astronauts will have another chance to try to spot lunar dust during the upcoming solar eclipse.

Lofted lunar dust was observed during Apollo missions and by various spacecraft in orbit around the moon, according to NASA.

Mission Control temporarily lost communication with the Orion spacecraft at around 6:43 p.m. ET. That was expected as the capsule passes behind the moon, which blocks the radio signals mission controllers need to stay in contact with the astronauts.

"From all of us, it’s a privilege to witness you carrying the fire past our farthest reach. Thank you. Godspeed," capsule communicator Jenni Gibbons radioed to the crew ahead of the communications blackout.

Glover had a message for humanity in response:

"As we get close to the nearest point to the moon and farthest point from Earth, as we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on Earth. And that's love," he said.

The NASA broadcast captured a live view of the Orion spacecraft, with both the moon and a distant crescent Earth in the background.

"Everyone in this picture," NASA commentator Leah Cheshier Mustachio said. "Currently aboard Orion: four crew members, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. And on the Earth, all of us. All of humanity."

The NASA broadcast captured a live view of the Orion spacecraft, with both the moon and a distant crescent Earth in the background.  NASA

Wiseman and Hansen are now tucking into their midday meal. The astronauts will get to choose among options such as vegetarian chili, salmon croquettes, chicken with peanut sauce, beef brisket, spaghetti and meat sauce, kale, pickled beets, butternut squash and candy-coated chocolates. And to wash it all down? Coffee.

Glover said the most "striking" thing he has seen so far on this lunar flyby is the moon's "terminator," the dividing line between its illuminated side and the side cloaked in darkness.

"Boy, I am loving the terminator," he radioed to Mission Control. "There's just so much magic in the terminator — the islands of light, the valleys that look like black holes. You'd fall straight to the center of the moon if you stepped in some of those. It's just so visually captivating."

Glover added that he has spent the most time so far observing the terminator, thinking about it and describing it in his notes.

It's time for Koch and Glover to begin their next observation period. They will switch with Wiseman and Hansen at the window positions.

Hansen and Wiseman, meanwhile, will now have a chance to eat their midday meal.

Several crew members have described feelings of awe and wonder as they look out their windows.

"It was very moving to look out the window," Glover said, adding that the telephoto lens transported his thoughts to the lunar surface. "It was hard to speak looking through Zoom. ... I was walking around down there on the surface climbing and off-roading on amazing terrain."

Mission Control also told Glover that his wife, Dionna, was in the viewing room, along with one of his daughters.

 "Hey, babe. I love you from the moon," Glover said, thanking his family for their support throughout the mission and training. "I love you, and I'm glad you get to be there."

Glover and Koch will now enjoy a well-earned midday meal before their next observation period. The menu options include beef ravioli, salmon, butternut squash, tuna noodle casserole, tomatoes, artichokes, broccoli, kale, pickled beets, cherry and blueberry cobbler or a chocolate and peanut butter bar.

After Koch and Glover switch positions again, Reid and Wiseman will have the chance to eat their meal.

Koch shared some thoughtful remarks following her time photographing the lunar surface.

"I just had an overwhelming sense of being moved by looking at the moon," she said of one moment toward the end of her observation rotation. "It lasted just a second or two, and I actually couldn't even make it happen again. But something just drew me in suddenly to the lunar landscape, and it became real."

Koch had a philosophical takeaway from her time at Orion's window, as well.

"The truth is, the moon really is its own body in the universe — it's not just a poster in the sky," she said. "It is a real place. And when we have that perspective and we compare it to our home of Earth, it just reminds us how much we have in common. Everything we need, Earth provides. And that is somewhat of a miracle and one that you can't truly know until you've had the perspective of the other."

The astronauts caught another glimpse of both the Earth and the moon out the same window of the Orion spacecraft.

"There's something truly awesome up here. We now have the moon and the Earth in Window 3 simultaneously, and the moon is a gibbous and the Earth is a crescent," Wiseman said. "And I'm guessing in about 45 minutes, we'll have two identical crescents as we change our position in the universe." 

A gibbous moon is when more than half of the moon is illuminated by sunlight.

It's a big day for the astronauts, but just as much so for the many scientists and mission controllers at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Artemis II flight controllers monitor the Orion spacecraft from the White Flight Control Room at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP - Getty Images

A wider view of the action in the White Flight Control Room. Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP - Getty Images

A worker inside the Science Mission Operations Room at Johnson Space Center. Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP - Getty Images

Members of Hansen's family — his wife, Catherine, and their son, Devon — are in the viewing gallery at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"Hello to my family," Hansen radioed to the ground. "I'm glad they made it into the viewing room."

Jenni Gibbons, who is the capsule communicator today in Mission Control, then relayed a message from Hansen's loved ones.

"They give you a big wave, and they’re super excited and happy to see part of what you’re seeing," she said.

Coming up, Wiseman and Hansen will head back to the windows for their turn to observe and photograph the moon.

Koch and Glover will swap out, providing support during this rotation.

The pairs switch positions roughly every hour.

Koch and Glover are now doing some "crew choice" observations. For eight minutes, the astronauts are free to focus on any surface features or patterns that interest them.

"The science team has asked the crew to capture pictures that illustrate their choice, as well as at different zoom levels, and to describe why those certain features or regions caught their eye," said Leah Cheshier Mustachio, a NASA public affairs officer who is providing commentary during the agency's livestream event.

Hansen said both Koch and Glover chose to focus on the moon's "terminator" during this time. The terminator is the dividing line between the illuminated and dark sides of the moon.

Wiseman followed up with his own observations of the terminator, saying: "When you look at the terminator, it is just like impossibly rugged. And it reminds you that the whole side is that way, and just the terminator is really bringing out the shadows and the hills, the valleys, and it is just — it’s unbelievable."

The Artemis II astronauts have raved about the beauty of the moon. They've also taken steps to look their best on this historic flyby day.

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen gave himself a shave on Day 5 of the journey.

Shaving onboard the Orion capsule is not as straightforward as it is on Earth. Using a conventional electric trimmer would cause tiny hairs to float around in microgravity, which would be a mess. Instead, astronauts use an electric shaver with a vacuum attached.

Artemis II mission specialist and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen enjoys a shave inside the Orion spacecraft during Flight Day 5, ahead of the crew's lunar flyby today.  NASA

The astronauts have been told not use their onboard space toilet for the time being.

"We just wanted to let you know that the toilet right now is 'no go' for use, as we stick with a predetermined limit," Jenni Gibbons, who is serving as the capsule communicator today in Mission Control, informed them.

She advised the astronauts to instead use contingency containers for liquid waste, known as collapsable contingency urinals or CCUs, for now.

"Otherwise, Orion is looking very good," Gibbons told the astronauts.

Earlier in the mission, the Artemis II astronauts had to troubleshoot separate issues with their toilet. Christina Koch eventually saved the day, fixing a jammed part on the commode.

NASA has encouraged the Artemis II astronauts to paint vivid pictures of the scenes they're seeing on the moon's surface using descriptive language.

Astronaut Christina Koch described several small, bright craters like this: "What it really looks like is like a lampshade with tiny pinprick holes. They're so bright compared to the rest of the moon."

Photographs should capture many of the elements the astronauts are seeing, but the human eye can notice and discern additional clues. So the astronauts' narration will go a long way for NASA's science team to make inferences about these lunar features.

The astronaut pairs are switching spots now. Christina Koch and Victor Glover will take over the positions at the Orion capsule's windows, shooting photos and taking down naked-eye descriptions.

Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen will provide support and prepare for their next observation shift in roughly an hour.

Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead, asked pilot Victor Glover to make topography comparisons between the moon's north and south poles.

NASA is interested in landing astronauts near the south pole on a future Artemis mission, but the region is vastly different and more challenging to navigate than the area where the Apollo astronauts settled. The moon's south pole is pockmarked with craters that are thought to house abundant water ice, a precious resource for establishing a long-term presence on the moon and for future crewed missions deeper in the solar system.

Glover described seeing "quite a bit of elevation change" across the south pole and smoother topography toward the north pole.

"It seems to be more jagged and more challenging place to find a place to land and to even traverse the south all around the south pole," Glover said.

As the crew's lunar flyby progresses, pilot Victor Glover said his eyes were struggling to keep up.

The crew has dimmed the cabin within the Orion spacecraft and the astronauts are taking turns observing the moon's surface through its windows.

Glover said it was "very taxing on the eyes looking out the window" where the moon is bright, and then bringing his eyes back inside to the darkness of the cabin to operate cameras and microphones and tend to other logistical matters.

"It's just been an exercise," Glover said. "It is a difficult thing to manage it all with my glasses and then having to wait as my eyes adjust."

Glover is wearing glasses and his eyes have undergone a change in space, which is common, according to NASA's livestream.

In microgravity, fluid shifts from lower parts of your body and into your head, changing the pressure within the brain and affecting the eyes. That can cause some changes to vision, which astronauts must contend with and correct with glasses.

Pilot Victor Glover described the moon's brightness, colors and surface features to mission controllers.

In one impact basin, Glover noticed the stark difference in appearance between the outside and inside sections.

"When you look at the interior ring and the external ring, it's almost as if the edges are starting to dry up," Glover said, comparing it to a wet spot with the edges drying first.

Glover also pointed out several features on the lunar surface that he said look like peaks "dusted with snow" or chalk. (The description was not meant literally.)

Astronaut Christina Koch shared some early observations just minutes into the lunar flyby.

"One report from the crew at the windows — we can actually see the moon and Earth at the same time right now," she said. "It's interesting, because the Earth looks way brighter. So the Earth itself seems to have a much higher albedo than the moon."

Albedo refers to a surface's brightness and is a measure of the amount of sunlight that a surface reflects away.

"We think this is independent of our eyes focusing, because of course, the Earth is much smaller than the moon in our view," Koch said. "Since we’re seeing both in the same view, we do think that this can be inferred as the Earth as a whole has a higher albedo."

As the Artemis II astronauts swing around the moon, they are discussing their views of various craters and landmarks on the lunar surface. The astronauts' descriptions use some scientific terminology — here are some key definitions:

"Albedo" refers to the reflectivity of a surface. Something with high albedo on the moon appears brighter, while something with low albedo appears darker, or more black.

"Ejecta" refers to debris left on the lunar surface. The moon has patterns of ejecta that formed when asteroids struck the lunar surface and then ejected material onto the surface.

"Mare" is a reference to large plains of basaltic rock that were formed by lava flows from volcanic activity on the moon.

The Artemis II astronauts are beginning to take science observations now, kicking off their moon flyby.

"We have two folks at the window deep in discussion, talking about all of the awesome features that they’re seeing," astronaut Christina Koch relayed to Mission Control in Houston.

Koch then marveled at the size of Hertzsprung basin, on the moon’s far side, comparing it to the Orientale basin, a 3.8 billion-year-old crater that formed when a large object smashed into the moon’s surface. 

"We’re really excited about this target that’s kind of new to us," Koch said.

The crew members will spend roughly the next seven hours gathering observations and capturing photos of the lunar surface.

Commander Reid Wiseman shared a description of his view, with the moon visible out of one window of the Orion spacecraft and the Earth out of another.

"The moon is about three or four times the size of the Earth, and it is almost full, and the Earth is just a small crescent out there. It's magnificent. I got a picture of it with the wide lens, such majestic view out here," Wiseman said.

Back on Earth, Jenni Gibbons, a Canadian astronaut communicating with the crew from Mission Control, radioed her reply with a reference to the film "Project Hail Mary," which is based on the novel by Andy Weir.

"Amaze. Amaze. Amaze," Gibbons said.

As the astronauts swing around the moon, they will be the first people to see parts of the lunar far side with human eyes.

The moon's far side is not visible from Earth because that part of the moon permanently faces away from our planet. Even the Apollo astronauts couldn’t view much of the moon’s far side because of the paths and timing of their flights.

During their closest approach to the moon, when the Orion capsule will fly about 4,070 miles away from the moon’s surface, around 21% of the moon's far side should be illuminated and visible to the astronauts, according to Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead.

In this fully illuminated view of the moon taken by the Artemis II crew, the near side (the hemisphere we see from Earth), is visible on the right. The large crater at lower left is Orientale basin.  NASA

The astronauts' official flyby observation period begins at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen told mission controllers that the Artemis II crew wanted to honor their mission by naming two craters on the moon.

The astronauts proposed naming one crater after their Orion capsule, which carries the name Integrity. The newly named crater can be found between the moon's Orientale basin and the Ohm impact crater.

"If you were to look at Orientale on the far side and then draw a line straight up to Ohm on the far side, relatively in the middle is an unnamed crater, and we would like to suggest it be called Integrity," Hansen said.

A labeled image of some features on the lunar surface, including two small, unnamed craters for which the Artemis II crew proposed new names. Northwest of Orientale basin is a crater they would like to name Integrity after their spacecraft. Just northeast of that Integrity crater, the crew suggested an unnamed crater be designated Carroll in honor of Reid Weisman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. The crater name proposals will be formally submitted to the International Astronomical Union.  NASA

Next, Hansen read a poignant dedication to commander Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll, who died in 2020.

"There’s a feature in a really neat place on the moon, and it is on the near side-far side boundary," Hansen said. "In fact, it’s just on the near side of that boundary, and so at certain times of the moon transits around Earth, we will be able to see this from Earth."

Hansen's voice broke as he described this "bright spot on the moon," which the crew requested be named Carroll. Wiseman and Koch could be seen wiping away tears. At the end of the message, the crew members all embraced as Mission Control radioed confirmation of the two newly named lunar craters.

Artemis astronauts propose names for two moon craters in emotional dedication 

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The families of Artemis II crew members are on site at Mission Control in Houston, and NASA's livestream caught a sweet moment between commander Reid Wiseman and his children.

"We have Reid’s family in the viewing gallery. You’re welcome to say hello," said Jenni Gibbons, a Canadian astronaut who is communicating with the crew from Mission Control.

"That is awesome to hear. Thanks, Jenni, and hello to Ellie and Katie. I don’t know who else is in there, but it’s great to know that you’re in Mission Control right now following along," Wiseman said, referring to his two daughters. "We're having a blast up here, and the view of the moon is absolutely amazing."

Gibbons relayed Wiseman's family's response.

"I’m seeing a lot of hearts come out of the viewing gallery and even more smiles," she said.

Wiseman gestured with his hands, making a heart shape and pointing to a bracelet around his wrist.

"Copy heart, copy bracelet," Gibbons said.

The Artemis II astronauts are now farther from Earth than any humans have ever traveled.

At approximately 1:57 p.m. ET, the crew members broke the record of 248,655 miles from Earth set by the Apollo 13 astronauts in April 1970 during their emergency return to Earth.

“On April 15, 1970, during the Apollo 13 mission, three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from our home planet,” capsule communicator Jenni Gibbons radioed to the crew from Mission Control. “At that time, over 55 years ago, Lovell, Swigert and Haise flew 248,655 statute miles away from Earth. Today, for all humanity, you’re pushing beyond that frontier.”

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen sent a special message in response:

"As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration," Hansen said. "We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything that we hold dear, but we most importantly choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived."

The Artemis II crew will reach their maximum distance from Earth, an estimated 252,760 miles, around 7:07 p.m. ET.

Artemis II crew breaks record for farthest humans have traveled beyond Earth

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The astronauts had a conference just now with Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead, to discuss technical details of the upcoming flyby and science goals for the day.

"I did just want to start with a thank-you on behalf of lunar science team and the entire lunar and planetary science community, of which you are absolutely a part, for what you’ve already done in this mission and what you’re going to do today to inspire the next generation of scientists," Young radioed to the crew. "I have to say, 'moon joy' is the new term that’s already become our team’s new motto, so thanks for that."

Young then discussed camera setups in Orion's windows and talked about different targets that the astronauts will look for on the moon's surface. She reminded the crew that the absence of features or colors on the lunar surface can also make for valuable science observations.

"Last reminder is, around earthset and earthrise, when you’re viewing us back here at home, you’ll be looking directly at Asia, Africa and Oceania," Young said. "So I’m sure people watching from those places here on Earth will want to give you all a wave as you take their picture."

The astronauts then each signed off with their early thoughts of the moon so far.

"It is awesome to see this side of the moon," Christina Koch said. "You guys made us excited for this day, and we couldn’t appreciate it any more. We are ready to hopefully deliver on all the awesome training you guys have provided."

As the astronauts fly by the moon, they'll attempt to photograph key targets for NASA's science teams on the ground.

There's no shortage of interesting features on the moon, so NASA had to narrow down a list.

"We had a plan coming in where we basically made a list of all the available targets during the April launch window," Juliane Gross, the Artemis II sample curation lead, said during NASA's livestream.

What would be visible ultimately depended on the exact time of launch.

"Once we launched, we then were able to cut down on that list and prioritize our targets," Gross said.

Gross said the astronauts will be able to see the Aristarchus Plateau, one of the youngest craters on the moon, as well as Grimaldi crater and the Oceano Procellarum, a lunar plain that might have been formed by an asteroid impact.

Astronaut Christina Koch talked about her personal connection to the iconic "Earthrise" photo taken during the Apollo 8 mission. The photo, taken by Bill Anders, shows Earth peeking out beyond the lunar surface as the Apollo 8 crew circled the moon.

Taken aboard Apollo 8 by Bill Anders, this iconic picture shows Earth beyond the moon's surface as the first crewed spacecraft circumnavigated the moon on Dec. 24, 1968. Bill Anders / NASA

That photo "has been instrumental both to our crew and our ethos and values," Koch said. "But also just personally to myself, I had the photo up in my room as a kid, and it was part of what inspired me to keep working hard to achieve things I dreamed about."

Koch said she and her crew members combed through the Apollo 8 cockpit recording from the mission and found there was a "hubbub" within the capsule around when the photo was taken.

"I wouldn't say fighting over cameras, but definitely everyone wanted to capture the shot," she said of the recordings, adding that the Artemis II crew is happy to carry on that legacy, as they are often all up against the windows and looking for cameras, too.

NASA has said the Artemis II crew will attempt to re-create the iconic "Earthrise" photo. After they swing behind the moon, Earth will come back into view at 7:25 p.m. ET.

The four astronauts exchanged warm greetings with Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston as part of their daily planning conference.

"Good morning, Houston, from inside Integrity, 215,049 miles away from Earth, and 12,712 miles from the moon," pilot Victor Glover said, referring to the name "Integrity" that the crew gave their Orion capsule.

Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons is the person talking to the astronauts today from inside Mission Control.

"Good morning, Integrity, and good morning, moon," Gibbons said. "Our room is buzzing with moon joy today, and I imagine yours is too."

Flying along with the Artemis II astronauts is a silk patch that was part of the Apollo 8 mission in 1968.

"We have a pretty neat emblem up here,” pilot Victor Glover said. “We have a patch that was flown on the Apollo 8 mission, and that patch is here on the Artemis II mission as well, and that was sent to us by the Lovell family, by Jim Lovell's son.”

Lovell, a member of the crews of Apollo 8 and 13, died last year but recorded a message for the Artemis II astronauts before his death. The crew heard the message as part of their wake-up this morning.

"Welcome to my old neighborhood! ... I’m proud to pass that torch on to you as you swing around the moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars," Lovell said in the message. "It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be. But don’t forget to enjoy the view."

The astronauts are snapping photos of the moon using two Nikon D5 cameras and a Nikon Z9 camera, NASA officials said.

Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead, said the 80 to 400 millimeter zoom lenses on the D5 cameras will be used for the bulk of the flyby. A 14 to 24 millimeter lens will be used later this evening when the crew sees a solar eclipse.

The Z9 camera will be used to take photos of the sun's outermost atmosphere, known as the corona, Young said.

While the astronauts circle the moon, they will experience a solar eclipse from space. The sun will move behind the moon, blocking its light from the perspective of the Orion capsule. The eclipse will last for almost an hour toward the end of the Artemis II lunar flyby.

During that time, the moon will appear mostly dark, which will give the astronauts a chance to look for flashes of light from rocky objects smacking into the moon or to observe planets and other celestial bodies.

In anticipation of the eclipse, the crew brought special eclipse viewing glasses — the kind many people likely remember from the 2024 total solar eclipse that crossed the U.S. — on the mission.

Today is Day 6 of the 10-day Artemis II moon mission. See the full path of the Orion spacecraft below:

The Artemis II astronauts woke up this morning to the song "Good Morning" by Mandisa, featuring TobyMac.

They were also treated to a special pretaped message from former NASA astronaut Jim Lovell, who flew on the Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 missions. Lovell died in 2025 at age 97 but recorded the message before that.

"Welcome to my old neighborhood," Lovell said. "When Frank Borman, Bill Anders and I orbited the moon on Apollo 8, we got humanity's first up-close look at the moon and got a view of the home planet that inspired and united people around the world. I'm proud to pass that torch on to you as you swing around the moon."

"It's a historic day, and I know how busy you'll be," Lovell added, "but don't forget to enjoy the view."

In response, commander Reid Wiseman radioed to mission controllers that it was an "awesome message."

"Very cool to hear him welcome us to the neighborhood," he said.

Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen will try to take as many photos and gather as many observations as they can from a list of 30 science targets.

Kelsey Young, the Artemis II lunar science lead, said Sunday that the crew will work in pairs throughout the flyby, beginning with Wiseman and Hansen. One astronaut will be tasked with taking photos while the other will provide naked-eye descriptions of features on the lunar surface. After about an hour, the pairs will switch to keep them all refreshed and focused during the seven-hour event, Young said.

Among the various targets, the astronauts will focus on the Orientale basin, a 3.8 billion-year-old crater that formed when a large object smashed into the moon’s surface. The nearly 600-mile-wide basin, which stretches across the moon’s near and far sides, still has distinct geological features from the ancient collision, according to NASA.

The crew will also study the Hertzsprung basin on the moon’s far side, northwest of Orientale. Unlike the more pristine Orientale basin, features in this 400-mile-wide crater have been degraded by subsequent lunar impacts, NASA said. Observing both targets will give the crew and scientists on Earth a chance to compare how the moon’s topography changes over time.

While approaching the moon over the weekend, the Artemis II astronauts shared some stunning images of it out the windows of their Orion spacecraft.

About an hour after entering the lunar sphere of influence, where the moon's gravity has a stronger pull than Earth's, Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch said, "We are now falling to the moon rather than rising away from Earth. It is an amazing milestone!"  NASA

A view of the near side of the moon, the side we always see from Earth, taken from the Orion spacecraft, with some of the far side visible on the left edge.  NASA

Earlier in the mission, the astronauts also captured photos of our home planet. In the image below, captured early in the mission, Earth can be seen almost peeking through the window of the Orion capsule, greeting the crew members.

A view of Earth taken by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft's four main windows on April 2. Reid Wiseman / NASA

On Sunday, the astronauts beamed back a photo showing “one last look at Earth before we reach the moon.” The picture shows our planet as a distant crescent framed by the Orion spacecraft’s window.

This view of the Earth was captured on Sunday, the fourth day of the Artemis II mission, from inside the Orion spacecraft.  NASA

NASA's live coverage of the lunar flyby will begin at 1 p.m. ET on NASA+.

The event will also be streamed live on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and Roku starting at 1 p.m. ET, according to NASA. The agency's 24/7 coverage will also continue on YouTube.

During their lunar flyby, Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen will conduct observations of the moon and capture photos for about seven hours, starting at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Here's a rundown of key moments:

1:56 p.m.: The Artemis II astronauts are expected to surpass the distance record set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970 for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth.

2:45 p.m.: Lunar observations begin. 

6:44 p.m.: Mission control expects to temporarily lose communication with the crew as the Orion spacecraft passes behind the moon.

6:45 p.m.: During “Earthset,” Earth will glide behind the moon from Orion’s perspective.

7:02 p.m.: Orion will reach its closest approach to the moon, flying about 4,070 miles above the surface.

7:07 p.m.: The astronauts will reach their maximum distance from Earth.

7:25 p.m.: The crew will experience “Earthrise,” when Earth comes back into view on the opposite edge of the moon. 

7:25 p.m.: Mission controllers should reacquire communication with the astronauts.

8:35-9:32 p.m.: The Artemis II astronauts will experience a solar eclipse from space. During the eclipse, the sun will pass behind the moon from the crew’s perspective.

9:20 p.m.: Lunar observations conclude.

Space fans, rejoice! The most anticipated moment of the Artemis II mission has arrived.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen are hours away from the start of their long-awaited lunar flyby. The astronauts are set to swing around the moon today and will spend nearly seven hours photographing and observing specific sites on the lunar surface.

The astronauts will become the first humans to see parts of the moon's far side — the side of the moon that permanently faces away from Earth — with their own eyes.

Follow along here for all the action.