Artemis II Mission crew has shared a stunning image of Earth taken from their spacecraft as they travel on the first human lunar journey in more than 50 years.
In a post on X, NASA released the photo with the caption, “That’s us!” The agency said the crew captured high-resolution images of Earth during their journey to the Moon. Astronaut Christina Koch added, “You guys look great.”
The mission began on Wednesday, when four astronauts launched on a high-risk flight around the Moon. This marks humanity’s first lunar voyage since the Apollo program era more than five decades ago.
The crew, made up of three Americans and one Canadian, lifted off aboard a 32-story rocket from Kennedy Space Center.
Artemis II Mission Captures Stunning Earth Image
This mission is a key step in NASA’s plan to build a long-term human presence on the Moon. A major milestone is set for Monday, when the spacecraft will perform a close lunar flyby.
The Orion capsule will travel about 4,000 miles beyond the Moon before returning. This path will give astronauts rare views of the Moon’s far side. During the mission, the crew is also expected to witness a total solar eclipse from space.
Before leaving Earth’s orbit, the astronauts spent time observing the planet from tens of thousands of miles away. Koch reported that they could clearly see entire coastlines and even the South Pole.
NASA aims to use this test flight to push forward the Artemis program. The goal is to land astronauts on the Moon again by 2028.
The launch took place at the same site used during the Apollo missions. Surviving Apollo astronauts watched and supported the new crew as the rocket lifted into the evening sky.
The crew will stay close to Earth for the first 25 hours of their 10-day mission. During this time, they will test the spacecraft systems before firing the engine that sends them toward the Moon.
