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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Andrew Griffin,Isabel Keane and Maroosha Muzaffar

Artemis II live: Nasa astronauts describe mission highlights from Orion spacecraft after circling Moon

NASA Moon Earth Reid Wiseman Sun Christina Koch Jeremy Hansen Andrew Griffin Carroll Victor Glover

The Artemis II crew offered a glimpse into their life and work aboard the Orion spacecraft after circling the Moon.

During a live broadcast, the Nasa astronauts described their mission as a “relay race” and recalled the awe they felt when witnessing a rare eclipse near the Moon’s far side. The crew said that “it just blew us all away”.

Earlier, the crew of Nasa’s Artemis II mission were said to be in “high spirits” as they started their return journey to Earth following a record-breaking slingshot around the Moon.

The mission’s lunar science lead Kelsey Young said Nasa’s team were “looking forward to integrating all these lessons learned in future missions”, and that there were “screams of delight” when the four astronauts described witnessing impact flashes – brief bursts of light from space rocks hitting the Moon.

It will take the astronauts another day to get back to Earth, with a splashdown in the Pacific set to conclude their test flight on Friday.

Nasa is running a livestream providing continuous coverage of the Artemis II mission.

Key Points

  • Nasa images shown in new video
  • Artemis crew becomes first to see moon's dark side
  • Nasa astronauts head back home but mission isn't over
  • Crew describes Moon craters as 'lampshade with tiny pinprick holes'

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

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’

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.

'We're locked in and excited for second half of mission'

Tuesday 7 April 2026 05:41 , Vishwam Sankaran

Artemis II mission commander Reid Wiseman said the crew was "locked in" and "excited for second half of the mission" as they circled the Moon and are headed for Earth during a live broadcast on Tuesday.

"We are the first crew to fly this vehicle and ready for any contingency and any scenario," Wiseman said.

"We are locked in till we're back on the navy ship and till we're back home with our families," he said.

Trump speaks with Artemis II astronauts as they head home

Tuesday 7 April 2026 05:27 , Vishwam Sankaran

Trump speaks with NASA astronauts after they circle the moon and head home to Earth

'Maple cookies on the far side'

Tuesday 7 April 2026 05:18 , Vishwam Sankaran

Astronauts shared that during the 45-minute communications blackout with Earth, they took a 30-second break to take turns to eat maple cookies in space, before quickly getting back to focusing on their science missions.

"We gathered together quickly for about 30 seconds, and each one of us had maple cream cookies and went back into science," Artemis II mission commander Reid Wiseman said during a live broadcast on Tuesday.

"We took that moment to honour the time we went behind the Moon and out of touch with Earth, and that was a very surreal moment for this group," he said.

Astronauts share how they felt during 45-minute communications blackout

Tuesday 7 April 2026 05:01 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Artemis II crew lost signal with ground systems for over 40 minutes, as their spacecraft passed behind the Moon.

"I think one of the biggest highlights was coming back from the far side of the Moon, and having the first glimpses of planet Earth again after being out of communication for about 45 minutes," astronaut Cristina Koch said during a live broadcast on Tuesday.

"It really does remind you what a special place we have," Koch said.

Crew member Victor Glover said he had to keep making observations of the Moon during the blackout period.

"I said a little prayer but then had to keep recording scientific observations of the far side of the Moon," Glover said.

'We'll establish permanent presence on Moon and push onto Mars': Trump

Tuesday 7 April 2026 04:46 , Vishwam Sankaran

Speaking to the Nasa Artemis II crew on Tuesday on a live broadcast, US president Donald Trump thanked the astronauts for "inspiring the world", adding that the current mission would pave the way for America's return to the lunar surface soon.

"We'll plant our flag once again and this time we won't just leave footprints but have a permanent presence on the Moon and we'll push onto Mars," Trump said.

"So America we'll be second to none in everything we do in space," he said.

Why Artemis astronauts have floating soft toy in capsule

Tuesday 7 April 2026 04:31 , Vishwam Sankaran

The crew has been carrying with it a soft toy named "Rise" created by an eight-year-old as their zero-gravity indicator for the mission.

It can be seen during the live video broadcast floating near astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Soft toy 'Rise' floating in capsule as Artemis II crew speaks to Nasa chief Jared Isaacman (Nasa)

Rise, designed by second grader Lucas Ye from Mountain View, California, flies along with the crew to visually indicate when they are in zero gravity.

It was designed at Nasa's Thermal Blanket Lab at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

What Bill Nye is most excited about from Artemis II's findings

Tuesday 7 April 2026 04:30 , Io Dodds

The Artemis II astronauts' observations raise fascinating questions about the composition of the moon's surface, science communicator Bill Nye has said.

Noting that the crew had seen many "pinpricks" of light down on the surface, Nye said there was a "mystery" about what substances could be reflecting the sun's light to that degree.

"If there is water ice on the moon, why isn't it evaporating? What's going on?" he asked. "Is there something strange about the solar wind, protons streaming off the sun, that creates minerals that are highly reflective, and not extant here on Earth's surface?

"I'm most excited about this. I didn't expect [the astronauts] to be saying how reflective things are."

Scientists are confident these days that there is some water on the moon, but how it behaves and how much of it there is remain unclear.

Astronauts thank Nasa chief for iPhones

Tuesday 7 April 2026 04:20 , Vishwam Sankaran

Asked by Nasa chief Jared Isaacman how the pictures taken by the crew have been so far, Christina Koch said all astronauts loved getting their hands behind the lens.

"I've been into night time photography and it's a dream come true for me. The timelapses I've been trying to get have been tougher... but what we've got so far has been out of this world," Koch said during the live broadcast.

"Having to set the low light features for Earth shine near the Moon while there was an eclipse – that was a new one and I had to dig deep into the book for that one," she said as crew commander Reid Wiseman.

"Thanks for the iPhones! They've been working great," Wiseman said on the broadcast.

Video: A heartfelt embrace as the crew remember a lost loved one

Tuesday 7 April 2026 04:17 , Lauren Io Dodds

The Artemis II crew were visibly emotional when they radioed through their request to name a crater after commander Reid Wiseman's late wife Carroll earlier today.

"A number of years ago, we started this journey in our close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one," said mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, sounded audibly choked up.

"Her name was Carroll. The spouse of Reed, the mother of Katie and Ellie."

Wiseman himself had his hand on Hansen's shoulder as he finished the broadcast, while mission specialist Christina Koch could be seen rubbing her eyes.

We couldn't hear what was said after that, since they were no longer be transmitting. But Wiseman floated over to embrace Hansen in a hug, soon joined by Koch and Glover.

They stayed in that embrace for another 14 seconds.

Crew's advice for Artemis III astronauts

Tuesday 7 April 2026 04:07 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Nasa Artemis II crew are speaking now over a video chat broadcast live on YouTube.

They were asked what advice they would give to astronauts who will be part of the subsequent Artemis III mission to the Moon.

"How you pack has a huge impact on how you'll live on the journey," the crew's pilot Victor Glover said during the broadcast.

"Things like food and hygiene products and you know what's going on with our waste management system - so practising the technology we have and being familiar with that mentally is important," he said.

President Trump hails mission as new era for American expansion in space

Tuesday 7 April 2026 03:42 , Io Dodds

President Donald Trump has congratulated the Artemis II crew on their journey, trumpeting it as the beginning of a new era of American colonization of the moon and Mars.

"A special hello to Artemis two today, You've made history and made all America really proud, incredibly proud," he said, after a brief introduction from NASA head Jared Isaacman.

"We have a lot of things to be proud of lately, but there's nothing like what you're doing, circling around the moon for the first time in more than a half a century, and breaking the all time record for the farthest distance from Planet Earth."

He went on: "At long last, America is back... your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon. We're going all out, we're doing everything we can, and it's headed up by Jared.

"We'll plant our flag once again, and this time we won't just leave footprints. We'll establish a permanent presence on the moon, and we'll push on to Mars... and we will continue to lead the whole thing into the stars."

What's next for the crew of Integrity?

Tuesday 7 April 2026 03:05 , Io Dodds

What do you do after witnessing the indescribable? For Artemis II, it's all been planned out in advance.

Having completed their lunar fly-by and observations, the Integrity crew are now "cleaning up" their notes and uploading the photos from their camera S.D. cards to send to NASA.

Then, they will sleep.

Overnight, NASA's science team will beaver away going over all the data. When the astronauts wake up in the morning, they'll hold a conference with the scientists to go over their personal experiences while the memories are still fresh.

After that, it's all meetings. There will be a public affairs event, a private health check-in with NASA's medical team, and a flight director conference.

Finally the crew will undertake their "hygiene activities" and eat their dinner before sleeping once again.

No words

Tuesday 7 April 2026 02:43 , Io Dodds

Victor Glover is audibly awed as he struggles to describe what he is seeing during the solar eclipse.

"If you've ever seen the spotlight off the top of the Luxor at night in Las Vegas, this looks like what that wants to be when it grows up," he says at one point.

Later, he requests that Mission Control add "about 20 new superlatives" to the English language, so that he has words to capture it.

Video: An 'indescribable' solar eclipse

Tuesday 7 April 2026 02:18 , Io Dodds

Here’s an incredible video from NASA of the solar eclipse, giving a tiny sense of what the Artemis II crew witnessed as the sun dipped behind the moon.

But it’s clear that video can’t hold a candle to what the astronauts are actually seeing as they fly through intense darkness.

"I know this observation won't be of any scientific value, but I'm really glad we launched on April 1. Because humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing,” says pilot Victor Glover said.

“Truly hard to describe. It is amazing... indescribable.”

Glover says the crew have eliminated every possible light source inside the cabin, turning all their screens down as low as they will go to avoid affecting their view of the stars and planets.

“No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of them,” he says.

“It is absolutely spectacular, surreal, there’s no adjectives. I’m going to need to invent some new ones to describe what we’re looking at out this window.”

'Our scientists are jumping up and down'

Tuesday 7 April 2026 02:11 , Io Dodds

Integrity has just reestablished bidirectional contact with Houston. And what they're telling us has got NASA literally dancing on the live stream.

The Artemis II crew has spent the last half hour viewing the eclipse through special goggles, and what they saw was apparently stunning.

"This continues to be unreal," said pilot Victor Glover as he observed the sun's corona shining around the edges of the moon. "Wow. It’s amazing."

Astronauts said they saw the surface of the moon illuminated by "Earthshine" — the sun's light reflecting off our planet — and vivid views of stars and planets.

"The entire moon is lit-up. It's glowing behind the entire moon," said mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. "I thought it would look dark against the black sky or deep space, but the sun is lighting up the entire limb [edge] of the moon. You can see the entire perimeter of it.

The crew also said they saw at least five flashes of meteors impacting the moon — something that Mission Control said made members of its science team "jump up and down, literally".

On the live stream, one person in the control room could be seen dancing joyfully as Hansen described his observations.

"Even now, with the sun far behind the moon, you can still make up little bit of photography right around the entire limn, just bumps."

Nutella enjoys being in lunar spotlight

Tuesday 7 April 2026 01:59 , Graeme Massie

A jar of Nutella spread was seen floating through the capsule during day five of the Artemis mission, and the brand was quick to promote itself being in space.

'Sun has gone behind the moon'

Tuesday 7 April 2026 01:40 , Graeme Massie

Solar eclipse from the moon (NASA/ YouTube)

Crew now observing a unique solar eclipse

Tuesday 7 April 2026 01:36 , Graeme Massie

It is only visible to the crew on the spacecraft and no one on Earth!

But when do we land?

Tuesday 7 April 2026 01:33 , Io Dodds

For those just joining us, there won't be any moon landing today. That mission is still in the future.

Instead, Artemis II is something of a test flight: gathering data, checking everything works, and ironing out any kinks in the spacecraft that will soon, hopefully, take us back to the moon's surface.

Its roughly ten-day mission has involved a period in Earth orbit to do systems checks, a powerful "trans-lunar injection" engine burn to catapult the Integrity capsule towards the moon, and a "lunar fly-by" that uses the moon's gravity to slingshot Integrity round Earth's largest satellite and back towards home.

"We’ll get eyes on the moon, kind of map it out and then continue to go back in force," flight director Judd Frielin said before the mission.

During the flyby, the astronauts split into pairs and took turns capturing the lunar views out their windows with cameras. They'd studied and practiced extensively beforehand to know what to look out for.

One highlight of the four-day return trip will be Integrity's conversation with the International Space Station, where NASA currently has five astronauts.

It's the first time ever that a moon crew has colleagues in space at the same time, so NASA can’t pass up the opportunity for a cosmic chitchat.

Next year's Artemis III won't be landing on the moon either. Its job, as currently planned, is to conduct further tests — including docking with the lunar lander, which will be launched into lunar orbit beforehand.

Artemis IV in 2028 is when NASA plans to actually land human beings on the moon's surface, for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.

What's next for Artemis II?

Tuesday 7 April 2026 01:11 , Io Dodds

With the moon in their rear-view mirror, the Artemis II astronauts are now enjoying some well-earned downtime.

Integrity is now oriented away from the moon, meaning there are no more photo opportunities for a little while.

It's currently around 4,600 miles away from the moon, and around 252,000 miles from earth — the former decreasing, and the latter increasing, every moment.

The spacecraft is also taking the opportunity to charge its batteries from its on-board solar panels. We're in a "forward link loss of signal" right now, meaning Integrity can't hear Earth but we can hear them.

Soon, the crew will witness something never seen before by any human being: a solar eclipse as seen from the moon.

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The Story Behind How Seinfeld Included A Bizarro Superman Statue In One Of Its Best Episodes
As Bizarro would say, this made me so sad!
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Kansas City woman digs into Chili’s salad. Then something jumps out at her: ‘HE’S ALIVE’
Did she order extra protein?
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
Katy Perry Furiously Denies Ruby Rose's Sexual Assault Claim, Branding Allegations 'Reckless Lies' In Explosive Response
Katy Perry has strongly denied a sexual assault allegation made by Ruby Rose, calling it 'reckless lies'. The dispute has sparked a debate on accountability and credibility in the digital age.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel footage may have leaked after claims Nickelodeon "accidentally" emailed someone the "entire" movie
Nickelodeon may have been the victim of a hack as Aang, The Last Airbender footage surfaces online
Total Film
Total Film
Bonnie Blue Sparks Outrage Over 'Sickening' And 'Depraved' Spring Break Stunt In Cancun
Bonnie Blue is under fire after boasting that she made Spring Breakers in Cancun drink alcohol from sex toys modelled on her body, calling the footage her 'most outrageous video yet.' Critics have branded the influencer's claims 'sickening' and 'depraved,' while key details of what happened remain unverified beyond her…
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Lena Dunham claims Adam Driver ‘screamed’ and ‘hurled a chair’ at wall next to her in new memoir
Driver played Dunham’s on-off boyfriend in HBO’s ‘Girls’ from 2012 to 2017
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
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