
NASA has shared the first breathtaking views of Earth taken from the Artemis II mission as the crew continues its journey toward the moon.
The photos reveal Earth behind the Orion spacecraft, our home planet aglow with aurora.
One photo of Earth, taken Thursday by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from the Orion window, shows the planet backlit, with auroras visible at the top right and bottom left, Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy director for NASA’s Artemis program, said Friday during a news conference.
A zodiacal light is also visible at the bottom right as the Earth eclipses the sun, she said.
Another photo of Earth, also taken by Wiseman, shows a terminator line, meaning the line separating daylight and nighttime on the planet.
“What an amazing shot that he shared with us here,” she said.
The photos were taken after completing the translunar injection burn Thursday.
Hawkins said Friday, the third day of the Artemis II mission, that so far systems are normal and “the crew is in great spirit.”
The four crew members — NASA astronauts Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — launched Wednesday on the 10-day mission.
As of Friday, the crew is more than 100,000 miles from Earth, with about 150,000 miles to go to the moon.
The mission does not include a lunar landing, but is designed as a step toward a landing in 2028.
The next major milestone for the space pioneers will be Monday, when the crew is expected to fly around the moon.
That flyby could mark the farthest venture from Earth made by humans, surpassing the distance record of 248,655 miles set by the Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Figure out How to Analyze Medical attendant Compensation Patterns Across Different Specializations - 2
Vaccine exemptions for religious or personal beliefs are rising across the U.S. - 3
High Court freezes government move to shutter Army Radio pending ruling - 4
Lift Your Style: Famous Hairdos for Ladies - 5
U.S. to drop childhood vaccine recommendations as it looks to Denmark, Washington Post reports
Army commander convicted of Guinea stadium massacre dies in prison
How color-changing, bacteria-infused spacesuits could help keep future astronauts safe from space radiation
A Gastronomic Experience in Healthy Enjoyments: A Survey of \Nutritious and Tasty\ Solid Cooking Recipe Book
Key Little Things That Advantage Old People
New law puts familiar drinks, creams and gummies in legal limbo
The 12 biggest space stories of 2025 — according to you
True serenity: Investigating Emotional well-being and the Advantages of Contemplation
The Forgotten BMW Coupe That Turned a 5 Series Into Something Far More Exotic
Fundamental Home Items Each Animal person Needs













