
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
Story of ‘first Black Briton’ rewritten by advances in ancient DNA technology - 2
Choosing the Ideal Bed for Quality Rest and Solace - 3
One of the best meteor showers of the year peaks at the worst possible time this week - 4
The most effective method to Recognize an Excellent Lab Precious stone - 5
Quandoo to shut restaurant booking platform by end of 2026
Canada Awards C$1.5 Billion Defense Contracts to L3Harris, Airbus
CDC vaccine panel delays vote to stop recommending hepatitis B shot at birth
The most effective method to Pick the Ideal Shrewd Bed for Your Special Rest Needs
Find the Force of The ability to understand anyone on a deeper level: Improving Mindfulness and Connections
Brazil passes anti-gang law allowing seized crypto to fund security forces
4 Family SUVs: Joining Solace and Style
Israeli naval intelligence reduces Iranian threat to Strait of Hormuz
Happy with Running Shoes for 2024
Only 30% of young people in Israel optimistic about future, Aluma survey reveals












