Nasa’s Artemis II astronauts have begun their return to Earth after a flyby of the Moon that produced new images of the lunar surface, an Earthset and a solar eclipse, while crew members described strong reactions to the views from orbit.
The four-person crew travelled behind the Moon on Monday, losing contact with mission control for about 40 minutes as the Orion spacecraft passed the far side. During the flyby, the astronauts reached a distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, setting a new record for human spaceflight.
Working in pairs at the spacecraft windows, the crew took about 10,000 images over several hours. The photographs include detailed views of impact craters, ridges and basins, as well as the first direct human observations of parts of the Orientale Basin.
Earth sets at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026. Photo: NASA
Nasa released initial images showing an “Earthset”, with the planet appearing to dip behind the lunar horizon. The scene echoed the Earthrise image recorded during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. In the foreground, the astronauts captured crater formations with terraced edges and central peaks formed by past impacts.
The Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. Photo: NASA
The crew also recorded a solar eclipse as the Moon blocked the Sun. From their position near the lunar surface, totality lasted close to an hour, far longer than the brief duration seen from Earth. The Sun’s corona formed a visible halo around the Moon, while planets including Venus appeared in the background.
Astronaut Christina Koch said the view of the lunar surface triggered a brief but strong reaction. “I just had an overwhelming sense of being moved by looking at the moon,” she said in communication with mission control.
Fellow crew member Victor Glover described the experience as “very moving” and said the terrain appeared vivid through the spacecraft windows. During the eclipse, he added: “The Sun has gone behind the Moon and the corona is still visible, and it’s bright and creates a halo almost around the entire moon.”
Commander Reid Wiseman said the mission team had prepared the crew to observe key geological features, including lava flows and impact structures. The astronauts identified formations such as the Hertzsprung Basin and noted ring patterns within the Orientale Basin, one of the Moon’s youngest large impact sites.
An image showing the rings of the Orientale basin, one of the Moon’s youngest and best-preserved large impact craters. Photo: NASA
During the flyby, the crew suggested names for two smaller craters near the basin. One was proposed as Integrity, referencing the Orion spacecraft, and another as Carroll, in memory of Wiseman’s late wife. Nasa said the moment was marked by silence in mission control.
The astronauts also recorded colour variations across the lunar surface, describing brown, green and orange tones against the dominant grey. Scientists are expected to analyse both the images and the crew’s audio descriptions to refine understanding of the Moon’s geology.
The flyby lasted between six and seven hours, with roughly one fifth of the far side illuminated during the observations. Although robotic missions have photographed this region, direct human observation has remained rare since the Apollo era.
The Orion spacecraft launched on 1 April from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the Space Launch System rocket. The crew includes three Nasa astronauts and one from the Canadian Space Agency.
The return journey is expected to end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. Re-entry will see the capsule enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds above 20,000 miles per hour, generating temperatures exceeding 1,600C on the heat shield.
Nasa has adjusted the re-entry profile following findings from the Artemis I mission, when sections of the heat shield showed damage. Engineers have opted for a steeper angle to reduce exposure to peak heating conditions.
After re-entry, parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule before it lands in the ocean, where recovery teams will retrieve the crew.
Mission scientists said the data collected during the flyby will support planning for future lunar missions, including efforts to return humans to the surface.
Photo: NASA
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