Artemis Era Earthrise — photographed by the Artemis II crew
✓ Mission Complete  ·  8d 21h 57m in deep space

Artemis II

The first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. Four astronauts. Ten days. One total solar eclipse from the far side of the Moon.

252,760miles from Earth
57 mineclipse totality
8d 21hin deep space
53 yrssince Apollo 17
✓ Total Time in Deep Space
8days
:
21hrs
:
57min
Mission Log

Day-by-Day Timeline

From launch to splashdown — ten days, one lunar flyby, and a solar eclipse that lasted 57 minutes.

Apr 1 22:03 UTC
Launch
Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center, Pad 39B
Apr 2 05:10 UTC
Earth Orbit
Orion enters parking orbit; systems checkout begins
Apr 2 06:45 UTC
Translunar Injection
Upper stage burn sends Orion onto a trajectory to the Moon
Apr 3
Deep Space — Day 3
Crew photographs crescent Earth and Moon through Orion's windows
Apr 4
Halfway Point
Jeremy Hansen speaks to media from space; crew passes Moon's gravitational midpoint
Apr 5
Lunar Approach
Final flyby preparations; crew observes the growing lunar disc
Apr 6 13:03 UTC
Total Solar Eclipse
57 minutes of totality — longest solar eclipse ever witnessed by humans · 4,070 mi from Moon surface
Apr 6
Post-Flyby
Orion completes lunar flyby; crew photographs the Moon up close one final time
Apr 7
Return Trajectory
Homeward bound — crew on coast phase back toward Earth
Apr 10 20:00 UTC NOW
Splashdown
Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean; mission complete
The Crew

Four Historic Firsts

Every member of the Artemis II crew made history on this mission.

🇺🇸
Commander
Reid Wiseman
First mission as commander to the Moon
🇺🇸
Pilot
Victor Glover
First person of color to travel beyond low Earth orbit
🇺🇸
Mission Specialist
Christina Koch
First woman to travel to the Moon
🇨🇦
Mission Specialist
Jeremy Hansen
First non-American astronaut to fly to the Moon (CSA)
Artemis II in total solar eclipse
View full size ↗
Eclipse partial frame
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 Eclipse emergence
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 Eclipse safety first
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April 6, 2026 · Lunar Flyby

57 Minutes of Totality

As Orion rounded the far side of the Moon, the Sun disappeared. The corona blazed into full view — something no human had ever seen from this vantage point. The longest eclipse visible from Earth's surface is around 7 minutes. These four astronauts had 57.

  • At least 5 meteoroid impact flashes spotted on the lunar surface
  • Stars, Venus, Mars, and Saturn visible in the blackness
  • Solar corona studied and photographed at close range
  • Closest approach: 4,070 miles above the lunar surface
"An absolutely spectacular, magnificent experience." — Cmdr. Reid Wiseman
🌕
252,760
miles
Farthest humans from Earth since Apollo 17 in 1972
☀️
57
minutes
Longest solar eclipse totality ever witnessed by humans — from lunar orbit
👩‍🚀
1st
woman
Christina Koch — first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit
✊
1st
person of color
Victor Glover — first person of color to travel to the Moon
🇨🇦
1st
non-American
Jeremy Hansen — first non-American astronaut to fly to the Moon
☄️
5+
impacts
Meteoroid impact flashes observed live on the lunar surface during totality
Artemis Era Earthrise
Artemis Era Earthrise

The iconic view reimagined — photographed by the Artemis II crew as they rounded the Moon. Click to view full size.
NASA Video Archive

72 NASA Video Clips

Daily highlight reels, mission briefings, and raw footage released by NASA. All hosted on the NASA Image and Video Library.

Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 1080p (Part 2 of 2)
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 1080p (Part 2 of 2)
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Post Lauch News Conference
Launch
Artemis II Post Lauch News Conference
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Post Launch News Conference
Launch
Artemis II Post Launch News Conference
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Liftoff Slow Motion
Launch
Artemis II Liftoff Slow Motion
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Suit-Up
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Suit-Up
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Drone
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Drone
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Flag Shot
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Flag Shot
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - VAB Roof
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - VAB Roof
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Camera Views of Artemis II Apogee Raise Burn
Launch
Orion Camera Views of Artemis II Apogee Raise Burn
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Camera View of Artemis II Upper Stage Separation
Launch
Orion Camera View of Artemis II Upper Stage Separation
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Camera View of Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Panel Separation
Launch
Orion Camera View of Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Panel Separation
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Camera View of Artemis II Liftoff
Launch
Orion Camera View of Artemis II Liftoff
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II High Speed Launch Imagery
Launch
Artemis II High Speed Launch Imagery
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Charlie Blackwell-Thompson Post-Launch Speech
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Charlie Blackwell-Thompson Post-Launch Speech
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - ML PAO PTZ
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - ML PAO PTZ
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - SLS Launch Vehicle Camera, Switched Feed
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - SLS Launch Vehicle Camera, Switched Feed
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Isolated Launch Views
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Isolated Launch Views
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Suit-Up, Walkout, Transport/Arrival at LC-39B, Ingress
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - Suit-Up, Walkout, Transport/Arrival at LC-39B, Ingress
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 4K
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 4K
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Test Flight Mission Launch Highlights
Launch
Artemis II Test Flight Mission Launch Highlights
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 1080p (Part 1 of 2)
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 1080p (Part 1 of 2)
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Upper Stage Separation
Launch
Artemis II Upper Stage Separation
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Solar Array Wing #1 View of SLS Core Stage Separation
Launch
Orion Solar Array Wing #1 View of SLS Core Stage Separation
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Solar Array Wing #2 View of Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Panels Separating
Launch
Orion Solar Array Wing #2 View of Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Panels Separating
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Solar Array Wing #4 View of Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Panels Separating
Launch
Orion Solar Array Wing #4 View of Spacecraft Adapter Jettison Fairing Panels Separating
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Solar Array Wing #3 View of SLS Core Stage Separation
Launch
Orion Solar Array Wing #3 View of SLS Core Stage Separation
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Orion Solar Array Wing #4 View of SLS Core Stage Separation
Launch
Orion Solar Array Wing #4 View of SLS Core Stage Separation
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 4K Tech Feed
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - 4K Tech Feed
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - UAS / Drone
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - UAS / Drone
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - C7 Exit Walkout
Launch
Artemis II Live Launch Coverage - C7 Exit Walkout
Watch on NASA Image Library ↗
LiquidSpaceTime

Our Coverage

Our own videos and articles about Artemis II and the lunar program.

Videos

Why Artemis II Isn't Landing on the Moon
YouTube
Why Artemis II Isn't Landing on the Moon
Why the Moon Doesn't Crash Into Earth
YouTube
Why the Moon Doesn't Crash Into Earth

Articles

NASA's Twin Control Rooms Keep Artemis II on Track
artemis-mission

NASA's Twin Control Rooms Keep Artemis II on Track

At NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, something remarkable is happening. Twin control rooms, LUCA (Lunar Utilization Control Area) and…

April 8, 2026 Read more →
Witness the Artemis III SLS Rollout: A New Lunar Era Begins
artemis-mission

Witness the Artemis III SLS Rollout: A New Lunar Era Begins

Get ready for a spectacle of engineering as the third Space Launch System (SLS) core stage prepares to roll out from NASA’s…

April 8, 2026 Read more →
Artemis II Astronauts Share Stunning Moon Flyby Photos
artemis-mission

Artemis II Astronauts Share Stunning Moon Flyby Photos

On April 6, 2026, a crew of astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission captured breathtaking images of the Moon during a historic…

April 8, 2026 Read more →
Artemis II: Integrity's First Return Correction Burn a Success
artemis-mission

Artemis II: Integrity's First Return Correction Burn a Success

At precisely 8:03 p.m. EDT, the Orion spacecraft named Integrity fired up its thrusters for 15 seconds. This brief but crucial burst…

April 8, 2026 Read more →
Artemis II: Humanity's New Lens on Earth from Deep Space
artemis-mission

Artemis II: Humanity's New Lens on Earth from Deep Space

From the vastness of space, Earth looks like a solitary marble floating in the cosmic sea. The Artemis II mission offers us…

April 3, 2026 Read more →
Artemis II: Humanity's New Lens on Earth from Deep Space
artemis-mission

Artemis II: Humanity's New Lens on Earth from Deep Space

From the vastness of space, Earth looks like a solitary marble floating in the cosmic sea. The Artemis II mission offers us…

April 3, 2026 Read more →
What's Next

Artemis III — Boots on the Ground

Artemis II proved the hardware. The next mission lands. For the first time since December 1972, humans will walk on the Moon. Subscribe to follow along as history unfolds.

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