Artemis II Crew Captures 'Spectacular' Earth Photos on Way to Moon
NASA's Artemis II crew took stunning photos of Earth from their Orion spacecraft as they head toward the Moon. Mission Commander Reid Wiseman captured the images through the capsule's window after completing an engine burn that set their path to the Moon.
NASA's Artemis II crew captured breathtaking photos of Earth as they journey toward the Moon in their Orion spacecraft. Mission Commander Reid Wiseman took the images through the capsule's window after the crew completed a final engine burn that set them on course for our closest celestial neighbor.
The photos show Earth wrapped in swirling clouds, rising through the Orion capsule's window. NASA called the images "spectacular" as they shared them with the public on Friday morning.
The Artemis II mission represents NASA's first crewed flight beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The four-person crew is traveling around the Moon but won't land on its surface - that's planned for a future Artemis mission.
The Orion spacecraft successfully left Earth's orbit Friday morning and is now on a path that will take the crew around the Moon before returning to Earth. This mission is testing the systems that NASA plans to use for future Moon landings.
These are the first photos of Earth from humans traveling beyond Earth's orbit in over 50 years. The Artemis II mission marks NASA's return to deep space exploration and could lead to the first Moon landing since 1972.
The crew will continue their journey around the Moon before returning to Earth in the coming days.
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