Artemis II astronauts make history with lunar flyby

Four astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission have made history by traveling further from Earth than any human before, with a lunar flyby that brought them within 4,067 miles of the Moon’s surface. The crew, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, includes Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, marking several firsts, including the first person of color and the first woman to fly around the Moon.

During their six-hour flyby, the astronauts will analyze and document lunar surface features, witnessing previously hidden territory on the Moon’s far side. The Moon will appear about the size of a basketball held at arm’s length, according to Noah Petro, head of NASA’s planetary geology lab.The mission is a crucial step towards establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually sending humans to Mars. The mission is expected to return to Earth in about four days, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.