Artemis II Astronauts Share Stunning Earth Photos on Moon

Published: 4 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

The four Artemis II astronauts have passed the halfway point between Earth and the Moon on their first lunar flyby in more than half a century, Nasa announced on Friday evening.

“We’re halfway there,” Nasa posted on social media, as the Orion spacecraft carrying the astronauts traveled more than 136,080 miles (219,000 km) from Earth.

Nasa released the first downlinked images just one-and-a-half days into the mission. Commander Reid Wiseman captured a curved slice of Earth from the capsule window, while another photo revealed the entire globe, oceans topped with swirling clouds, and a green aurora glowing in the polar skies.

“It’s great to think that with the exception of our four friends, all of us are represented in this image,” said Nasa’s Lakiesha Hawkins, highlighting the mission’s significance.

The crew—three Americans and one Canadian—will swing around the Moon and return to Earth without landing, traveling roughly 4,000 miles (6,400 km) beyond the Moon. If successful, they will set a record for the farthest humans from Earth: over 250,000 miles.

“This was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks,” Wiseman said, reflecting on the view of Earth complete with northern lights. Christina Koch added, “There’s nothing that prepares you for seeing your home planet both lit bright as day and glowing in the Moon’s reflection.”

Artemis II operates on a “free return” trajectory, using the Moon’s gravity to slingshot back to Earth. Astronauts wear suits that double as survival systems in case of depressurisation, and will exercise daily to minimise bone and muscle loss in zero gravity.

The mission also marks historic firsts: the first person of colour, the first woman, and the first non-American on a lunar mission, aboard the inaugural crewed flight of Nasa’s SLS rocket.

After launch, a minor issue arose when the spacecraft’s toilet malfunctioned. Koch resolved it with guidance from mission control, jokingly dubbing herself “the space plumber” while emphasising the equipment’s importance.

In reflecting on their vantage point, Victor Glover said, “You look amazing. You look beautiful. From up here, you also look like one thing. We’re all one people.”

The Artemis programme forms part of a broader plan to establish a permanent lunar base and prepare for future exploration, amid competition from China’s planned Moon landing by 2030.