NASA Artemis Moonshot

In this image from video provided by NASA, the Moon is seen from a camera outside the Orion Spacecraft as the Artemis II astronauts acknowledge the Apollo 13 astronauts as the crew and spacecraft surpass the farthest distance ever travelled by humans from Earth, Monday, April 6, 2026.

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Artemis II breaks Apollo 13’s distance record with daring moon flyby that included a solar eclipse

Artemis II breaks Apollo 13’s distance record with daring moon flyby that included a solar eclipse

The Artemis II astronauts have completed their record-breaking trip around the moon. Monday’s lunar journey comes after Artemis II surpassed Apollo 13’s distance record. During the flyby, the three Americans and one Canadian were treated to never-before-seen views of the moon’s far side by eye and also a solar eclipse. The crew temporarily lost contact with Mission Control as they swung behind the moon without stopping. They’re now on a path back toward Earth with a splashdown return set for Friday. More activities are planned before then including a phone call with the International Space Station.