
NASA has shared the first breathtaking views of Earth taken from the Artemis II mission as the crew continues its journey toward the moon.
The photos reveal Earth behind the Orion spacecraft, our home planet aglow with aurora.
One photo of Earth, taken Thursday by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from the Orion window, shows the planet backlit, with auroras visible at the top right and bottom left, Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy director for NASA’s Artemis program, said Friday during a news conference.
A zodiacal light is also visible at the bottom right as the Earth eclipses the sun, she said.
Another photo of Earth, also taken by Wiseman, shows a terminator line, meaning the line separating daylight and nighttime on the planet.
“What an amazing shot that he shared with us here,” she said.
The photos were taken after completing the translunar injection burn Thursday.
Hawkins said Friday, the third day of the Artemis II mission, that so far systems are normal and “the crew is in great spirit.”
The four crew members — NASA astronauts Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — launched Wednesday on the 10-day mission.
As of Friday, the crew is more than 100,000 miles from Earth, with about 150,000 miles to go to the moon.
The mission does not include a lunar landing, but is designed as a step toward a landing in 2028.
The next major milestone for the space pioneers will be Monday, when the crew is expected to fly around the moon.
That flyby could mark the farthest venture from Earth made by humans, surpassing the distance record of 248,655 miles set by the Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
latest_posts
- 1
Cyber Monday Paramount+ deal: Save 50% and stream these buzzy Taylor Sheridan shows - 2
Find Your Internal Culinary expert: Cooking Strategies and Recipes - 3
Kids who get 2-month vaccines on time 7 times more likely to receive MMR shot: Study - 4
Find the Future of Outsourcing: Exploring the Gig Economy - 5
Compassion and Association: Building Significant Connections
ISS astronaut evacuation shouldn't interfere with upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission, NASA chief says
The Most Astonishing Arising Advances to Watch
Sound Maturing: Wellbeing Tips for Each Life Stage
How Mars' ancient lakes grew shields of ice to stay warm as the Red Planet froze
Steinmeier honours Italian 'guest workers' who rebuilt German economy
Israeli police block Latin Patriarch from Palm Sunday mass in Jerusalem
America's Confided in Fridge in 2024
Tributes pour in for MIT professor Nuno Loureiro amid unresolved shooting case
The most effective method to Comprehend the Variables Affecting Medical attendant Pay rates













