Artemis II Astronauts Enter Moon's Gravity Zone on Historic Flight
Four Artemis II astronauts crossed into the moon's sphere of influence late Sunday on Day 5 of their flight. This means the moon's gravity is now pulling their spacecraft stronger than Earth's gravity.
Four astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission crossed a historic milestone late Sunday when their spacecraft entered the lunar sphere of influence. This invisible boundary marks the point where the moon's gravity becomes stronger than Earth's pull on their capsule.
The crew is on a 685,000-mile, 10-day journey around the moon without landing. Commander Reid Wiseman has been sharing photos from the spacecraft's windows, showing views of Earth that no human has seen in decades.
The mission represents the first time astronauts have traveled beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo program ended in the 1970s. The Orion spacecraft is testing systems that NASA will use for future moon landings.
Artemis II follows the successful uncrewed Artemis I flight that circled the moon in 2022. The program aims to establish a permanent human presence on the lunar surface and eventually send astronauts to Mars.
This is the first time humans have traveled this far from Earth in over 50 years. The mission tests technology that will eventually land astronauts on the moon again, advancing space exploration for future generations.
The spacecraft will continue around the moon before returning to Earth to complete the 10-day mission.
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