NASA has unveiled the first breathtaking images taken from inside the Artemis II Orion spacecraft, offering a rare and awe-inspiring view of Earth from deep space.
The historic mission, which carries four astronauts—three Americans and one Canadian—marks humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades.
Astronauts Capture Earth’s Beauty from Deep Space
Mission commander Reid Wiseman shared the remarkable photos showing Earth framed by sweeping clouds and the curvature of the planet, visible through the Orion capsule’s windows. One image highlights the full globe, with oceans clearly visible and a faint green aurora shimmering along the horizon—a perspective few humans have ever witnessed.
As of midmorning Friday, the Artemis II crew was approximately 100,000 miles (160,000 km) from Earth, steadily approaching the moon with roughly 160,000 miles (258,000 km) left in their 10-day mission.
Historic Lunar Flyby Set for Artemis II
The Artemis II mission is on its third day, with astronauts preparing for a close lunar flyby on the sixth day, passing 4,000–6,000 miles (6,450–9,650 km) above the moon’s surface. The spacecraft will travel around the far side of the moon, making this mission the first deep-space crewed journey beyond low-Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Mission specialist Christina Koch, the first woman to orbit the moon, described the experience:
“There’s nothing that prepares you for seeing your home planet lit bright as day, while the moon casts a soft glow at night… it’s breathtaking. And of course, the thought of heading home makes it even more incredible.”
“Suddenly, we’re up there with them.”
We’re sharing the Artemis II crew’s first images from space—keep following our 24/7 live feed for the latest mission updates: https://t.co/BezILihoZc pic.twitter.com/OwgYsWnngp
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2026
After completing the lunar flyby, Orion will use lunar gravity to return to Earth, with a planned Pacific Ocean splashdown near San Diego on April 11 at 00:06 GMT (April 10, 8:06 PM ET).
NASA Astronauts Reflect on Humanity’s Shared Identity
Beyond its scientific significance, the mission emphasizes human unity and global collaboration. Astronaut Victor Glover, the first Black astronaut to venture beyond low-Earth orbit, reflected on the perspective from deep space:
“From up here, you look like one thing. Homo sapiens is all of us … we’re all one people.”
Glover emphasized the power of teamwork, noting that Artemis II demonstrates what humanity can achieve when differences are united to accomplish extraordinary goals.
Artemis II: A New Era of Lunar Exploration
The Artemis II mission is part of NASA’s Artemis program, paving the way for future human exploration of the moon and Mars. With Orion’s state-of-the-art technology, this mission provides critical data for deep-space travel, life-support systems, and scientific observations that will guide humanity’s next giant leap into space.
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