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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Maroosha Muzaffar,Andrew Griffin,Julia Musto and Vishwam Sankaran

Artemis II live: Nasa prepares for risky ‘13 minutes’ as astronauts ‘halfway’ back home

NASA Moon Earth Christina Koch Maroosha Muzaffar Andrew Griffin Reid Wiseman

The Artemis II mission astronauts have crossed the halfway mark between the Moon and Earth, with their capsule set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean after a fiery descent lasting about 15 minutes around 8.07pm ET today.

The American space agency expressed “high confidence” in the Artemis II crew spacecraft’s heat shield ahead of Friday’s historic return.

The shield is a critical part of the Orion capsule, protecting the crew from exposure to lethal temperatures - reaching up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit - during their high-speed descent, which is expected to last less than 15 seconds.

“It’s 13 minutes of things that have to go right,” Jeff Radigan, NASA’s Artemis II flight director, said yesterday.

There were problems with the heat shield on the first Artemis flight, which had no human passengers. Gases that were generated inside the shield’s outer material were not able to vent as expected, causing cracks.

Since then, the shield has undergone extensive testing and Amit Kshatriya, the space agency’s associate administrator, says his confidence in the tech is backed up by engineering and flight data.

The astronauts, including NASA’s Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen were said to be in “high spirits” as they started their journey to Earth following a record-breaking slingshot around the Moon.

Key Points

  • NASA shares Artemis II return times
  • Artemis II crew describe rare moment they saw the eclipse from the far side of the Moon
  • NASA highlights 'Rise', the mission mascot
  • NASA says first return correction burn complete as Orion begins journey back to Earth
  • NASA astronauts hope mission inspires the world to cherish Earth

NASA Artemis II member Reid Wiseman provides an update

04:40 , Julia Musto

Artemis crew is half way back home: Nasa

04:18 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Artemis II astronauts have hit the the "halfway" mark between the Moon and the Earth, Nasa announced in a post on X early morning today.

Their Orion capsule is currently travelling at about 3,000 miles per hour through space and is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean around 8.07pm ET today, off the coast of San Diego.

The fiery splashdown as they enter the Earth's atmosphere is expected to last less than 15 minutes.

“It’s 13 minutes of things that have to go right,” Jeff Radigan, NASA’s Artemis II flight director, said yesterday at a press briefing.

Check out these cool pictures of the Artemis II astronauts on the Orion spacecraft

04:00 , Julia Musto
The Artemis II astronauts laugh together in an interview (NASA)
The Artemis II astronauts work hard on their Orion crew capsule (NASA/AFP via Getty Images)
The Artemis II men are interviewed aboard their Orion spacecraft (AP)

How NASA monitors space weather in real time

03:45 , Julia Musto

How the Artemis II astronauts will get home

01:45 , Julia Musto

Check out these cool pictures of the moon from the Artemis II mission

Thursday 9 April 2026 23:45 , Julia Musto

An ‘earthrise’ shot taken by the Artemis II crew (NASA)
The Earth, a blue marble, peeks out from behind the moon in this Artemis II photo (NASA)
Craters are seen on the moon in this dramatic shot captured by the Artemis II crew (NASA)

The song that Artemis II started their day with

Thursday 9 April 2026 23:32 , Julia Musto

NASA posts stunning shot from Orion spacecraft

Thursday 9 April 2026 23:02 , Julia Musto
A view of Earth and the moon from the Orion spacecraft (NASA)

Canadian Artemis II crew member Jeremy Hansen discusses science on Orion

Thursday 9 April 2026 22:34 , Julia Musto

NASA seeing 'small leak' in propulsion system

Thursday 9 April 2026 22:04 , Julia Musto

There is a small leak in the Artemis II propulsion system, Jeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, told reporters on Thursday.

The two-part system uses fuel and an oxidizer: a substance that causes another substance to burn.

“We are seeing what is a small leak in our pressure system,” he said, adding that the “leak is internal to the system, across some of our valves.”

The crew still needs to characterize the leak to see what, if any, modifications they might need to make in the future.

'We are good to go'

Thursday 9 April 2026 21:44 , Julia Musto
Branelle Rodriguez, the Artemis II Orion vehicle manager, speaks to reporters at NASA’s Johnson Space Center on Thursday (NASA)

“We are good to go,” Branelle Rodriguez, the Artemis II Orion vehicle manager, told reporters on Thursday.

She said that the Orion spacecraft remains “healthy.”

“Everything looks really, really well to continue on,” added Rodriguez.

A view from the Artemis II crew shows stunning Earthshine

Thursday 9 April 2026 21:40 , Julia Musto

NASA shares Artemis II return times

Thursday 9 April 2026 21:06 , Julia Musto
Jeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, speaks to reporters on Thursday afternoon from NASA’s Johnson Space Center (NASA)

Jeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, announced several times of note ahead of the Orion crew’s splashdown.

The crew module and service module will separate at 6:33 p.m. local CT. There will be a communications blackout at 6:53 before parachutes deploy at 7:03 p.m.

Splashdown is planned for 7:07 p.m.

Every system 'depends on the final minutes of flight'

Thursday 9 April 2026 20:53 , Julia Musto

“Every system we’ve demonstrated over the past nine days, life support, navigation, propulsion, communications, all of it depends on the final minutes of flight,” Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, said Thursday afternoon.

“We have high confidence in the heat shield and the parachutes and the recovery systems we’ve put together. The engineering supports it, the Artemis I flight data supports it, all of our ground tests support it, our analysis supports it,” he continued, “ and tomorrow, the crew’s going to put their lives behind that confidence.”

“The crew has done their part. Now we have to do our’s,” said Kshatriya.

NASA holds press briefing hours before planned Artemis II return

Thursday 9 April 2026 20:46 , Julia Musto
Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, speaks at a press briefing on Thursday at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas (NASA)

“Tomorrow evening ... the crew of Artemis II will come home,” Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, told reporters at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

He said NASA had high confidence in the heat shield, which had some problems in the first phase of the Artemis program in 2022.

Artemis crew is 'locked in'

Thursday 9 April 2026 16:11 , Andrew Griffin

Nasa has shared these images of the astronauts at work on board the spacecraft.

Heat shield worries ahead of re-entry

Thursday 9 April 2026 16:10 , Andrew Griffin

Re-entry (or landing generally, including on other planets) is one of the most dangerous parts of space machines. This time around the threat is even bigger.

As they plunge through the atmosphere, the Artemis II astronauts will be relying on their heat shield to protect them from the vast temperatures generated as they blaze through the atmosphere. But that heat shield has already had troubles: when the uncrewed Artemis I test mission came back, the heat shield didn’t work properly, and it has not been meaningfully changed since.

The mission has been altered from that one, so that the crew will fall to Earth more quickly. That means they will spend less time in the hot part of the descent, though it comes with its own drawbacks.

Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman has indicated that this is a particularly dangerous part of the mission. In part because there is nothing else the crew can do as they fall.

"In terms of what keeps me up at night, my blood pressure will be elevated until they're under parachutes in the water off the West Coast,” he said. “There's no plan B there.

“That is the thermal protection system. The heat shield has to work."

Astronauts are 'packing up' ready for home

Thursday 9 April 2026 15:05 , Andrew Griffin

Yesterday was a big day. Astronauts undertook a range of tasks including exercise and a bit of manual piloting of the spacecraft. Now they’re packing up ready for home, Nasa says.

'The most ominous thing I have ever loved'

Thursday 9 April 2026 10:02 , Andrew Griffin

Mission specialist Christina Koch has shared pictures from her trip around the Moon – and a bit of a poetry with it.

Here’s what Nasa crew’s fitness regimen looks like

Thursday 9 April 2026 08:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Nasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen completed their daily flywheel workout, using the compact device for both cardio and strength training to counter the effects of microgravity.

Nasa had said earlier that each astronaut would dedicate 30 minutes daily to exercise, “minimising the muscle and bone loss that occurs without gravity”.

This screengrab from a Nasa livestream shows Artemis II crew members Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover synchronising their watches aboard the Orion spacecraft on 6 April 2026 (NASA/AFP via Getty Images)

“Orion is equipped with a flywheel, a small device installed directly below the side hatch used to enter and exit Orion and will conveniently be used as a step when the crew get inside Orion on launch day,” the agency said.

“The flywheel is a simple cable-based device for aerobic exercises like rowing and resistance workouts like squats and deadlifts. It works like a yo-yo, giving astronauts as much load as they put into it, maxing out at 400 pounds.”

Nasa crew woke up to ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen and David Bowie

Thursday 9 April 2026 07:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity started Flight Day 8 with the song “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie as they continued their return journey to Earth, Nasa said.

At wake-up, the spacecraft was about 200,278 miles from Earth and 83,549 miles from the Moon.

The Artemis II crew and flight control teams are now preparing Orion for re-entry and splashdown on Friday.

Artemis II crew preparing Orion for Earth re-entry

Thursday 9 April 2026 07:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II crew and flight control teams are preparing the Orion spacecraft for splashdown back on Earth by securing equipment, installing seats, and reviewing entry procedures, Nasa said.

“Looking ahead to Thursday, the crew and flight control teams will begin preparing the cabin and studying entry procedures ahead of splashdown. The crew will start stowing equipment and installing their seats to ensure all items are secured for re-entry.

“To prepare the cabin for entry, the teams opted to forego the originally planned shielding deployment demonstration,” the space agency said.

In this photo provided by Nasa, Commander Reid Wiseman looks at the Earth from a window aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission en route to the moon on Thursday, 2 April 2026

Nasa is targeting a splashdown off the coast of San Diego at 8.07pm ET on Friday.

Nasa team focused on getting Moon mission astronauts back to Earth safely

Thursday 9 April 2026 06:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Nasa officials are ensuring “they don’t take their eye off the ball” as astronauts near their return to Earth after travelling deeper into space than anyone before.

The Artemis II crew, who successfully completed a test flight around the Moon, are due to splashdown off the coast of San Diego in California on Friday.

A news conference heard scientists were continuing to learn from the epic voyage that would inform future missions.

This included monitoring the impact of the deep space environment on the three Americans and Canadian aboard the Orion module.

The Goonhilly Earth Station, near Helston, in Cornwall, has been helping track the first Moon mission in more than 50 years.

Read more here:

Nasa team focused on getting Moon mission astronauts back to Earth safely

Nasa astronauts hope mission inspires the world to cherish Earth

Thursday 9 April 2026 06:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Nasa astronauts were asked whether they can sense how their mission is being received back on Earth and if it shapes how they share their journey.

The astronaut said they mainly rely on brief family calls for feedback and added that those moments were emotional and meaningful.

“The four of us, we’ve had two opportunities each to have very brief video chats with our families. And I will tell you, first of all, the four of us are now forged in a friendship that is very unique, and we will cherish this, this bond that we share for our lives. And then one of the neatest things being a crewmate on this spacecraft has been is not being in the family conference, but hearing your crewmates giggling and crying and just gasping and listening and loving their families from afar,” Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman said during a broadcast.

“Family is so important to all four of us, and that has been amazing. And when I got to talk to my daughters Ellie and Katie for the first time, like I just couldn't even speak, I was just so overjoyed. I was crying. I mean, it's just, it is an amazing experience. But what also came from that is that is really our source of news on planet Earth, and those, those family members, have been our source of how the mission is going,” he added.

“What we really hoped in our soul is that we could, for just a moment, have the world pause and remember that this is a beautiful planet in a very special place in our universe, and we should all cherish what we have, what we have been gifted. And I think for folks that decided to tune in, and it sounds like it was quite a few, this has happened, and for that, we are eternally grateful.”

Artemis II crew describe life inside Orion

Thursday 9 April 2026 05:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II mission crew say that living inside the Orion spacecraft in microgravity makes the capsule feel bigger than it actually is.

Nasa astronaut Christina Koch added that it was still a tight space where crew members were constantly bumping into each other.

“We have loved living in Orion, and in fact, we’ve all said that sometimes you can forget where you really are because.. we’re in this small space that just gives us everything we need,” Koch said.

This image provided by Nasa, astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon on Thursday, 2 April 2026 (AP)

“Yes, it is bigger in microgravity, and yes, we are bumping into each other 100 per cent of the time.. A phrase that you often hear in the cabin is, ‘don’t move your foot.. I’m just going to reach for something right under it’, or, you know, ‘can I get there?’ And my goal is to get over there.

“And we’re constantly moving around, whether it’s to complete a task, to just eat, you know, to look out the window, to take a picture, everything we do in here is a four-person activity.

“But it's also really fun.”

Artemis II crew describe rare moment they saw the eclipse from the far side of the Moon

Thursday 9 April 2026 05:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II crew that saw the eclipse near the far side of the Moon described the rare moment during their broadcast today and said that it was the most surprising and powerful moment of the mission.

The astronauts said that even though they had trained for it and seen simulations, the real experience was far more breathtaking than expected.

In this handout image provided by Nasa, the Artemis II crew (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman, pause for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home (NASA via Getty Images)

“The thing that we saw that really surprised me the most is we trained to view the eclipse from the far side of the moon, or after going beyond the far side of the moon. We saw great simulations made by our lunar science team, but when that actually happened, it just blew us all away.

“I mean, you heard the reaction real time, but it was the fact that we trained for it. I don't want to say unhappy about, but launching on April 1 meant the far side wasn't as limited as we were hoping.”

“That thing seemed to be a consolation, and it was one of the greatest gifts of that part of the mission.”

Nasa crew say they see Artemis II mission as a ‘relay race’

Thursday 9 April 2026 04:16 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II crew said during their broadcast that they see their mission as part of a relay race and that they’re not just focused on their own success, but on improving everything for the next team.

“Part of our ethos as a crew, and our values from the very beginning, were that this is a relay race. In fact, we have batons that we bought to symbolise physically that we plan to hand them to the next crew, and every single thing that we do is with them in mind.”

In this image provided by Nasa, the Artemis II crew captured from lunar orbit, the Moon eclipses the Sun on Monday, 6 April 2026 (NASA)

Nasa astronaut Christina Koch, said: “Oftentimes, it's actually easier in human spaceflight, especially on a first mission, to accept some of the things that aren't working quite right, or the operational workarounds. We have actually been diligent to try to fix everything.

“We’re always thinking from the perspective of: what is the next crew going to think about this? How will this help them to succeed?”

She added: “In the last three years, we’ve really just worked to make sure that they are set up for success. That’s all of the teams, not just the crew, but the flight control teams, the mission engineering rooms, the launch teams – everyone.”

Nasa highlights 'Rise', the mission mascot

Wednesday 8 April 2026 15:19 , Andrew Griffin

Today, ‘Rise’, the little mascot of the mission, is taking over Nasa’s social media accounts.

You can read more about the mascot here.

Meet ‘Rise’ the official mascot of the Artemis II moon mission

(There’s not all that much going on in the mission today – the astronauts are just making their way home ahead of re-entry in a couple of days.)

Wake up with the Artemis crew

Wednesday 8 April 2026 14:40 , Andrew Griffin

Every morning, the astronauts on board the Artemis II mission are woken up by a new song, chosen and played by Nasa. Now the space agency has shared the playlist of songs that it has picked for them, so you can wake up to them too.

Not just moons

Wednesday 8 April 2026 13:29 , Andrew Griffin

The astronauts on board the Artemis II mission are also getting a stunning, in some ways unprecedented view of the rest of our galaxy too. Nasa has shared one of the photos they took of just that.

Science continues as astronauts prepare for most dangerous part of the mission

Wednesday 8 April 2026 09:49 , Andrew Griffin

The spacecraft has been pointed towards Earth, and the ship that will pick up the astronauts after they splash down in the ocean is on its way – but still the work to do science in space continues.

Today, for instance, they will be testing an “orthostatic intolerance garment”. That’s a special piece of clothing that is designed to help ensure astronauts keep their blood pressure and circulation as they come back into Earth’s gravity.

Nasa says first return correction burn complete as Orion begins journey back to Earth

Wednesday 8 April 2026 08:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Nasa said the Orion spacecraft carried out its first thruster burn overnight to correct its path back to Earth.

“At 8.03pm EDT, the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, ignited its thrusters for 15 seconds, producing a change in velocity of 1.6 feet-per-second and guiding the Artemis II crew toward Earth,” the agency said.

After the historic mission, the spacecraft is now returning to Earth and will make a splashdown in the Pacific on Friday.

Nasa explains why human observations are still needed in time of satellites and probes

Wednesday 8 April 2026 08:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II crew observed 30 lunar targets during their flyby, including parts of the Moon never witnessed before by human eyes.

Nasa says “human eyes and brains are highly sensitive to subtle changes in colour, texture, and other surface characteristics”.

The agency added: “Having astronaut eyes observe the lunar surface directly, in combination with the context of all the advances that scientists have made about the Moon over the last several decades, may uncover new discoveries and a more nuanced appreciation for the features on the surface of the Moon.”

Details on the Moon observed by the crew include the massive 3.8-billion-year-old Orientale basin. Spanning nearly 600 miles, the crater – dubbed the “Grand Canyon” of the Moon – it was seen in full for the first time by astronauts.

Mission commander Reid Wiseman described its annular ring: “The annular ring, which I think everybody describes as a pair of lips or a kiss on the far side of the moon, from here is very circular in nature.”

This image provided by Nasa on Monday, 6 April 2026, shows the Moon, the near side (the hemisphere we see from Earth) visible at the top half of the disk, identifiable by the dark splotches. At the lower centre is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon’s near and far sides. Everything below the crater is the far side (AP)

He added: “The northern part of it is wider, darker. The southern part is much lighter. It is very neat-looking … far more circular than I remember it looking in our training.”

During their flyby, the astronauts also suggested names for two additional craters. They named one after their spacecraft, “Integrity”, and the second “Carroll”, in honour of Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman.

Nutella goes viral after jar floats in zero gravity during Artemis II livestream

Wednesday 8 April 2026 07:20 , Maroosha Muzaffar

In a bizarre moment on the Artemis II livestream, a Nutella tub was seen floating in zero gravity across the cabin.

The beloved chocolate spread brand has gained immense attention not just on this planet but also in space after the tub casually came on the Artemis II’s livestream, making a star appearance.

The jar moved across the spacecraft’s kitchen during NASA’s historic lunar mission.

The video garnered a lot of attention, with viewers claiming no marketing team could ever replicate this kind of ad placement.

Nutella goes viral after jar floats in zero gravity during Artemis II livestream

When and where will the Orion spacecraft splash down?

Wednesday 8 April 2026 06:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Nasa’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8.07pm EDT (5.07pm PDT) on Friday (10 April).

“The location and time of our Artemis II splashdown will continue to shift as mission milestones are reached,” Nasa says.

“Following splashdown, recovery teams will retrieve the crew using helicopters and deliver them to the USS John P Murtha.

“Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-mission medical evaluations in the ship’s medical bay before travelling back to shore to meet with an aircraft bound for Nasa’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.”

Artemis II crew shares stunning image of Milky Way

Wednesday 8 April 2026 06:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Following a successful lunar flyby, the Artemis II crew shared an awe-inspiring image of the Milky Way galaxy.

Nasa share new stunning Moon crater and Earth eclipse photos from Artemis II

Wednesday 8 April 2026 05:20 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Nasa has released two new photos captured on flight day six during the Artemis II lunar flyby.

The first image shows the far side of the Moon’s surface, pockmarked with craters, with a half-shadowed Earth setting in the background.

This “Earthset” photo beautifully complements the iconic “Earthrise” image taken by Bill Anders during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968.

Nasa’s second snapshot shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Earth, “creating nearly 54 minutes of totality.”

The Artemis II astronauts are now over halfway through their mission. The crew is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 10.

Nasa share new stunning moon crater and Earth eclipse photos from Artemis II

Artemis II crew to test special garments for safe return to Earth

Wednesday 8 April 2026 04:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Artemis II crew will test special garments designed to prevent dizziness and blood pressure issues when returning to Earth’s gravity, Nasa said yesterday.

“Nasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, along with (Christina) Koch and (Jeremy) Hansen, are scheduled to test an orthostatic intolerance garment. During the test, the crew will evaluate the garments — specialised equipment designed to help astronauts maintain blood pressure and circulation during the transition back to Earth’s gravity,” the agency said.

In this image provided by Nasa, the Artemis II crew captured from lunar orbit, the Moon eclipses the Sun on Monday, 6 April 2026

The Orion spacecraft (Integrity) is heading back toward Earth, and the crew is preparing for final tests and return-to-Earth operations on Wednesday.

Orion spacecraft begins journey back to Earth

Wednesday 8 April 2026 04:02 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The Orion spacecraft (Integrity) fired its thrusters briefly to adjust its path and head back toward Earth, Nasa said yesterday.

Astronauts Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen monitored systems during the manoeuvre, and Nasa also released the first images from the lunar flyby and confirmed that the recovery ship is en route in the Pacific.

The crew will rest overnight, Nasa added, before preparing for final tests and return-to-Earth operations on Wednesday.

Nasa images shown in new video

Tuesday 7 April 2026 16:00 , Andrew Griffin

And here, in video form, are those astonishing new images from the astronauts’ journey:

Nasa share new stunning moon crater and Earth eclipse photos from Artemis II

Stunning images sent back from journey around the Moon

Tuesday 7 April 2026 15:18 , Andrew Griffin

Nasa is sharing some of the images that the astronauts have sent back from their trip around the backside of the Moon. Here’s a selection.

Nasa astronauts head back home but mission isn't over

Tuesday 7 April 2026 10:44 , Press Association

The crew of Nasa's Artemis II mission have started the journey home after creating history on their pass behind the Moon.

The four astronauts on the first manned Moon mission in more than 50 years reached 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometres) from Earth.

The record was achieved during a seven-hour lunar flyby which included a 40-minute communication blackout as they passed around the far side of the Moon from Earth.

Apollo 13's previous record was 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometres) from Earth in April 1970.

During the blackout, the crew reached their closest point to the Moon at 4,067 miles (6,545 kilometres).

Before the flyby, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said: "It is blowing my mind what you can see with the naked eye from the Moon right now. It is just unbelievable".

The astronauts asked Nasa if they could name two newly observed lunar craters Integrity, after the capsule of their Orion spacecraft, and Carroll in honour of the late wife of Commander Reid Wiseman. She died of cancer in 2020.

Pilot Victor Glover and Christina Koch complete the four-strong crew, who experienced a total solar eclipse from their vantage point behind the moon early on Tuesday.

Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman said on X: "Before they left, they said they hoped this mission would be forgotten, but it will be remembered as the moment people started to believe that America can once again do the near-impossible and change the world.

"This mission isn't over until they're under safe parachutes, splashing down into the Pacific."

Crew describes Moon craters as 'lampshade with tiny pinprick holes'

Tuesday 7 April 2026 09:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

As the Artemis II Orion capsule flew by the Moon, crew members described craters on the lunar far side as having a range of colours from oranges and browns, to greens, sometimes appearing brighter than snow on Earth.

“All the really bright, new craters, some of them are super tiny, most of them are pretty small, there are a couple that really stand out. What it really looks like is a lampshade with tiny pinprick holes and the light shining through," astronaut Christina Koch said during a live broadcast.

“There are islands of terrain out there that are completely surrounded by darkness, which indicates some real variation in terrain. Up to the north, there is a very nice double crater. It looks like a snowman sitting there," crew member Victor Glover said.

What crew did when they flew over lunar far side

Tuesday 7 April 2026 09:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

As the Orion spacecraft flew over the far side of the Moon, the crew photographed and described terrain features like impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges.

They made observations of the colour, brightness and texture of these features which would provide clues for scientists to better understand the composition and history of the lunar surface.

Astronauts also witnessed an “earthset”, the moment the Earth dropped below the lunar horizon, and an “earthrise” as the spacecraft emerged from the opposite edge of the moon.

They reported observing light flashes created by meteoroids impacting the lunar surface while traveling many thousands of miles per hour.

The crew also witnessed a nearly hour-long solar eclipse as the spacecraft, the Moon and the Sun aligned.

Once the mission's lunar data is downlinked from the spacecraft, scientists on earth will look at it and compare with data from amateur atronomers who are also observing the Moon at the same time.

In Photos: Moon as seen from Artemis II mission capsule

Tuesday 7 April 2026 08:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

NASA has shared photos of the moon as taken from the mission's Orion capsule on Monday.

The photos offer clear views of parts of the near as well as far sides of the lunar surface.

Photo of the Moon, as it drew close in the window of the Orion spacecraft (Nasa)
Moon's near side visible on the right, identifiable by the dark splotches that cover its surface (Nasa)
Moon's near side identifiable by the dark splotches represent ancient lava flows from an early time when it was volcanically active. (Nasa)

Crew spots asteroids striking moon

Tuesday 7 April 2026 08:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Artemis II mission crew said they spotted at least four impact flashes, which are glints of light caused by asteroids striking the moon.

Crew commander Reid Wiseman said he saw two impacts while astronaut Jeremy Hansen saw another two.

"There was a little bit of giddiness," Wiseman said.

Such asteroid impacts on the lunar surface are common as the moon lacks an atmosphere to slow down space rocks.

Studying lunar asteroid impacts has helped study how the moon has evolved over time.

Floating Nutella tub in capsule offers 'free advertising' moment

Tuesday 7 April 2026 07:20 , Vishwam Sankaran

A Nutella tub was spotted photobombing astronauts as it casually floated out of the spacecraft’s kitchen, offering what internet users are calling a "free advertising" moment for the chocolate-hazelnut spread.

The Italian company took to X, sharing a video of the moment.

"Honoured to have traveled further than any spread in history," it said in the post.

Artemis astronauts view their own personal solar eclipse

Tuesday 7 April 2026 06:56 , Vishwam Sankaran

During the mission, the Artemis crew experienced their own personal solar eclipse as their Orion capsule passed behind the moon, with the sun entirely eclipsed from their perspective.

The eclipse lasted for about an hour and provided astronauts the opportunity to observe the sun's corona.

During this time mission control on Earth temporarily lost communications with the capsule for about 40 minutes, which was planned and expected.

Artemis crew becomes first to see moon's dark side

Tuesday 7 April 2026 06:36 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Artemis II crew has become the first to see the lunar far side with human eyes.

A new photo of the moon captured during the mission shows the lunar near side, which is the side we see from earth, on the right, and the far side on the left.

During the mission, the crew also broke the record for how far humans have traveled from earth as they fly around the far side of the moon.

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The Independent UK
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Oprah Winfrey revealed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that she heard 'the voice of God' during the 1986 Oscars. The Colour Purple star explained how a restrictive 12lb dress left her with a physical scar and a divine realisation. Read about Oprah's shift to comfort-first fashion following her…
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
‘It’s A Test.’ Ryan Seacrest Takes All His Dates Out For One Activity Early On To See How They’ll React
Dating Ryan Seacrest ain't for the faint of heart.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Kylie Jenner Called 'Not The Most Organized' By Insider Who Shared Timothèe Chalamet's Gallant Move To Make Room For Her In NYC
Well, that's sweet.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
SNL Fans Have Found A New Reason To Argue About Whether Lorne Michaels Is Retiring
Let's talk this out.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Jennifer Lopez Pays Sweet Tribute Her ‘Girl From The Bronx’ In Maid In Manhattan, But It’s The First Comment That Got Me
What a classic.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
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