Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman said the mission astronauts were "locked in" as their capsule circled the Moon and started heading back towards the Earth.
Over a period of seven hours, the crew observed and photographed the Moon, including parts of the lunar surface never seen before.
Onboard the spacecraft, they also experienced their own personal solar eclipse as the Moon was positioned between them and the Sun.
The crew named certain features on the moon to honour the Orion spacecraft as well as commander Wiseman's late wife, Carroll.
US president Donald Trump congratulated the crew, hailing their lunar flyby as the start of a new era of American space colonisation.
"You have made history and made all America incredibly proud. Your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon,” he said on a live broadcast. “We'll plant our flag once again, and this time we won't just leave footprints.”
It will take the astronauts four days to get back, 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's lunar flyby timeline: When to tune in to watch the historic event
- President Trump congratulates Artemis II astronauts in live call
- NASA crew is the first set of astronauts to visit the moon in the 21st century
- Astronauts receive message that they broke the record set by Apollo 13
- Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman shares 'gratitude' ahead of flyby
Nasa images shown in new video
16:00 , Andrew GriffinAnd 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
15:18 , Andrew GriffinNasa 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.
Earthset.
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 7, 2026
The Artemis II crew captured this view of an Earthset on April 6, 2026, as they flew around the Moon. The image is reminiscent of the iconic Earthrise image taken by astronaut Bill Anders 58 years earlier as the Apollo 8 crew flew around the Moon. pic.twitter.com/ag72r97wzb
The Artemis II crew captured this image showing the rings of the Orientale basin during their lunar flyby on April 6.
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 7, 2026
At the 10 o’clock position of the Orientale basin, the two smaller craters – which the Artemis II crew has suggested be named Integrity & Carroll – are visible. pic.twitter.com/na5yOROl1z
THE ARTEMIS II ECLIPSE.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 7, 2026
April 6, 2026.
Totality, beyond Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon eclipses the Sun, revealing a view few in human history have ever witnessed. Photo: NASA pic.twitter.com/2cLJD3oL7p
Nasa astronauts head back home but mission isn't over
10:44 , Press AssociationThe 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'
09:30 , Vishwam SankaranAs 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
09:00 , Vishwam SankaranAs 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.
Artemis II is now entering a solar eclipse that will last for about an hour as Orion, the Moon and the Sun align. During this phase, the crew will see the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon. pic.twitter.com/VHdY5oa7aE
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 7, 2026
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
08:30 , Vishwam SankaranNASA 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.
Crew spots asteroids striking moon
08:00 , Vishwam SankaranThe 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
07:20 , Vishwam SankaranA 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.
Honored to have traveled further than any spread in history 🚀 Taking spreading smiles to new heights ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vDUJMi1qbS
— Nutella (@NutellaUSA) April 6, 2026
Artemis astronauts view their own personal solar eclipse
06:56 , Vishwam SankaranDuring 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.
Artemis II is now entering a solar eclipse that will last for about an hour as Orion, the Moon and the Sun align. During this phase, the crew will see the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon. pic.twitter.com/VHdY5oa7aE
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 7, 2026
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
06:36 , Vishwam SankaranThe 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.
Make new friends, but keep the old.
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
A new photo captures the Moon's near side on the right (the side we see from Earth, identifiable by its dark splotches) and its far side on the left. The Artemis II crew are the first to see the far side with human eyes. pic.twitter.com/Z8QaZ6J9iA
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'
05:41 , Vishwam SankaranArtemis 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
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'
05:18 , Vishwam SankaranAstronauts 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
05:01 , Vishwam SankaranThe 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
04:46 , Vishwam SankaranSpeaking 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
04:31 , Vishwam SankaranThe 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.
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
04:30 , Io DoddsThe 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
04:20 , Vishwam SankaranAsked 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
04:17 , Lauren Io DoddsThe 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
04:07 , Vishwam SankaranThe 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
03:42 , Io DoddsPresident 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?
03:05 , Io DoddsWhat 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
02:43 , Io DoddsVictor 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
02:18 , Io DoddsHere’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.
Artemis II is now entering a solar eclipse that will last for about an hour as Orion, the Moon and the Sun align. During this phase, the crew will see the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon. pic.twitter.com/VHdY5oa7aE
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 7, 2026
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'
02:11 , Io DoddsIntegrity 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
01:59 , Graeme MassieA 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.
Honored to have traveled further than any spread in history 🚀 Taking spreading smiles to new heights ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vDUJMi1qbS
— Nutella (@NutellaUSA) April 6, 2026
'Sun has gone behind the moon'
01:40 , Graeme Massie
Crew now observing a unique solar eclipse
01:36 , Graeme MassieIt is only visible to the crew on the spacecraft and no one on Earth!
But when do we land?
01:33 , Io DoddsFor 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?
01:11 , Io DoddsWith 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.
A small celebration ritual — and 'toilet maintenance'
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:52 , Io DoddsRoughly 250,000 miles away from Earth, a little ritual has just taken place to mark Integrity's return from the dark side of the moon.
On the comms a few minutes ago, Christina Koch said all crew members had now flipped over their mission patches, which are double sided.
Until now, the patches were showing side A: the moon massive in the foreground, the Earth far away in the background.'
But now they've been flipped to side B, showing the Earth in the foreground and the moon beyond it. It's a symbol that the moon is now behind them.
And now, having earlier been in a state of “moon joy”, it’s back to normality. Maintenance checks must be done, including a “a shortened toilet maintenance” routine.
Welcome back, Integrity.
'We will always choose each other'
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:41 , Io DoddsHere are Christina Koch's stirring words from the Integrity spacecraft upon re-establishing contact with the rest of humanity.
"When we burned this bird towards the moon, I said that we do not leave Earth, and that is true.
"We will explore, we will build, we will build ships. We will visit again. We will construct science outposts. We will drive rovers. We will do radio astronomy.
"We will found companies, we will bolster industries, we will inspire. But ultimately, we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other."
Mission Control's response was similarly lyrical.
"Integrity, from Earth, our single system — fragile and interconnected — we copy. Those of us that can are looking back."
We're so back
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:32 , Io DoddsSignal is restored! Artemis II has made it round the moon.
"Houston, Integrity, comm check," says Christina Koch.
Loud and clear. "It is so great to hear from Earth again."
The chat in the live stream goes wild.
Less than one minute to go...
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:25 , Io DoddsStanding by for the restoration of signal.
Farthest point: confirmed
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:05 , Io DoddsNASA just confirmed that Artemis II has reached its furthest position from the Earth.
As the astronauts pass behind the moon, they will be on the lookout for any interesting events or phenomena they can photograph despite the darkness of the surface.
In particular, during the brief moment when the sun’s light shines round the edge of the moon — towards the end of the LOS — they will be looking for “lofted dust” rising from the surface of the moon, which is invisible under normal conditions.
The farthest point
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:02 , Io DoddsAt this moment, Artemis II should be reaching its farthest point from Earth — and the farthest any human being has ever been from our home planet.
According to NASA's predictions, the spacecraft will make its closest approach to the moon at around 7:02pm Eastern Time.
Approaching the near side of the Moon.
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 6, 2026
The Artemis II astronauts have surpassed the record for the distance from Earth at 1:56 ET (1756 UTC). This record was previously set during the Apollo 13 mission when the astronauts traveled 248,655 miles from Earth. The Moon continues to… pic.twitter.com/OapAGgGMex
Victor Glover: 'We love you from the moon'
Monday 6 April 2026 23:54 , Io DoddsIn the last few minutes before losing signal, Artemis II pilot Victor Glover delivered a heartfelt message to the people of Earth.
"From all of us, it's a privilege to witness you carrying the fire past our furthest reach," Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons at Mission Control told the crew. "Thank you, Godspeed."
Glover radioed back: "Thank you for that Jenni, and thank you to all of you for allowing us the immense privilege for being on this journey together. It's quite amazing."
He said he hoped they had fulfilled NASA's mission: "To explore the unknown in the air and space, to innovate for the benefit of humanity, and to inspire the world through discovery."
Then, citing the teachings of Jesus Christ — to "love God with all that you are", and "to love your neighbor as yourself" — he concluded: "We’re still going to feel your love from Earth.
"And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you from the moon."
Mission Control responded: "Houston copies. We’ll see you on the other side."
Loss of signal
Monday 6 April 2026 23:45 , Io DoddsAnd there we are. The Artemis II astronauts are now out of communication with Earth, behind the dark side of the moon.
“We have confirmation of loss of signal,” says NASA’s live stream host.
“This is a poignant moment, as it’s the first time in over 50 years that we have humans completely unreachable by anyone else on Earth, no matter how distant or secluded.”
Everyone you know is in this photo
Monday 6 April 2026 23:42 , Io DoddsWith just minutes to go until the loss of signal, we just got a historic moment.
Orion's external streaming camera showed the moon and, simultaneously, just past its curvature, the Earth.
That's one photo encompassing every single human being alive today — with the exception of the Artemis II astronauts themselves.
30 minutes to loss of signal
Monday 6 April 2026 23:16 , Io DoddsThe "loss of signal" period — known as the LOS — is less than 30 minutes away.
Starting at 6:44 p.m. Eastern Time, for 41 long minutes, the Orion spacecraft will be passing behind the dark side of the moon.
- With the moon's vast bulk blocking all radio signals, and no satellites in the neighborhood to relay them, the crew will be unable to communicate in any way with their home planet.
- It’s perhaps one of the most tense moments of any lunar flyby mission — though not as tense as when the crew will re-enter Earth's atmosphere in a sheath of flames.
- "Shortly after loss of signal, Orion is expected to make its closest approach at about 7:02 p.m. EST (12:02 a.m. BST), when it will be just 4,070 miles above the surface," NASA said in advance of the mission.
- During this time, the crew will continue taking photos. The darkness means that they won't be able to see any fine detail, but they'll be watching for the flashes of light where meteors hit the lunar surface.
- Communications are expected to be reestablished around 7:25 p.m. EST/12:25 a.m. BST. If that does not happen, something has gone wrong.
Status report: Less than 60 mins until blackout
Monday 6 April 2026 22:57 , Io DoddsWe now have around 45 minutes until Artemis II passes behind the moon and out of contact with the Earth.
For roughly 40 minutes, no signals will be able to reach the Orion spacecraft — a tense moment, but one that everyone has trained and prepared for extensively.
As it circles the moon, the Orion spacecraft will be between 4,000 miles and 6,000 miles above the lunar surface.
That's a much higher altitude than any of the Apollo missions, giving a wide-angle view of the whole surface that encompasses both poles and major geological features.
What's on the moon menu today?
Monday 6 April 2026 22:45 , Io DoddsNobody travels to the moon just for the cuisine. But for all that "space food" has become a popular synonym for "bad food", the crew's menu today sounds pretty decent.
Options for pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch's midday meal include beef ravioli, salmon, butternut squash, sweet and savory kale, pickled beets, tuna noodle casserole, tomatoes and artichokes, and broccoli, according to NASA's live stream.
For dessert, they can have cherry blueberry cobbler or chocolate peanut butter bars.
The two crew members are encouraged to eat at this time since they are in "support roles", not actively taking photos, and have some downtime.
Earlier we heard some interesting chatter between Artemis II and Mission Control about how to reduce the searing bright light through one of the windows, as well as removing condensation from the glass.
The moon in all her glory
Monday 6 April 2026 22:34 , Io DoddsAs the Artemis II crew continue to snap photos, here’s some more incredible pictures from the mission so far.
Artemis II astronaut says moon appears brown close up
Monday 6 April 2026 21:50 , Isabel KeaneWhile the moon appears to be bright and white from Earth, astronauts on the Artemis II mission say it looks different up close.
“Something I just heard from the window team is ‘the more I look at the moon, the browner and browner it looks,’” astronaut Christina Koch told mission control.
The observations were made by NASA commander Reid Wiseman and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The duo was the first pair to take observations at Orion’s windows on Monday.
Pilot Victor Glover says strain on eyes has been 'difficult' to manage
Monday 6 April 2026 21:06 , Isabel KeaneArtemis II pilot Victor Glover said his eyes were struggling to keep up as the crew’s lunar flyby progressed Monday afternoon.
Even though the crew dimmed the cabin inside the Orion spacecraft, Glover said it was “very taxing on the eyes looking out the window” at the bright moon, and then looking back inside the dark cabin.
“It’s just been an exercise,” Glover said. “It is a difficult thing to manage it all with my glasses and then having to wait as my eyes adjust.”
Astronauts switch places at windows
Monday 6 April 2026 20:59 , Isabel KeaneChristina Koch and Victor Glover have taken post at the windows of Orion, the spacecraft carrying out the Artemis II mission.
The pair will now be taking photographs and making observations of the moon.
Astronauts use annotated diagrams to identify high-priority targets on the moon
Monday 6 April 2026 20:50 , Isabel KeaneReid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen are the first pair of astronauts observing the moon through the spacecraft Orion’s windows during the lunar flyby.
One is responsible for taking photographs while the other records observations, NASA said. They will later switch places with Christina Koch and Victor Glover.
Each pair observes the moon for between 55 and 85 minutes.
The astronauts rely on annotated diagrams, like the one pictured below, to identify “high-priority” targets on the moon.
Astronauts name craters on Moon after Orion spacecraft, Reid Wiseman's late wife
Monday 6 April 2026 20:09 , Isabel KeaneAstronauts on the Artemis II mission have proposed naming two craters on the Moon to commemorate their historic trip.
One of the craters would be named Integrity, which is what the crew named the Orion spacecraft. The second crater will be named for Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll.
To commemorate the Artemis II mission, the astronauts announced their suggestion to rename certain features on the Moon to honor the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, as well as commander Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll. pic.twitter.com/ejfhnItDo8
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
Lunar flyby officially begins
Monday 6 April 2026 19:50 , Isabel KeaneThe Artemis II astronauts are starting to take science observations as they begin their lunar flyby.
The crew, split into pairs, will spend about seven hours gathering observations and taking photos of the moon.
The observations will be made looking through the Orion spacecraft’s windows, with each pair looking out for between 55 and 85 minutes before switching places.
Livestream shows Artemis II crew aboard Orion aircraft
Monday 6 April 2026 19:25 , Isabel Keane
