
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
Twins were the norm for our ancient primate ancestors − one baby at a time had evolutionary advantages - 2
What were the little white pills found in Tiger Woods's pocket at the scene of his crash? What to know about hydrocodone. - 3
5 Home Improvement Styles: Decision in favor of Your #1 - 4
Instructions to Choose the Best Material Organization for a Fruitful Rooftop Substitution - 5
'Euphoria' Season 3 trailer includes Eric Dane's final appearance, Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney at the altar and Rue's 'Breaking Bad' era
Child influencers helped power a booming industry. It's time for a reckoning.
From Dread to Certainty: Individual Accounts of Strengthening
'Not the moon that I'm used to seeing': Artemis II astronauts describe seeing the far side
Your guide to how to safely thaw and cook your Thanksgiving turkey this year, according to experts
Hilary Duff releases 'Mature,' her 1st song in 10 years
Defence chiefs of Thailand and Cambodia to discuss ceasefire
CDC vaccine panel votes to remove universal hepatitis B birth dose recommendation
Iran plans new restrictions in overhaul of Strait of Hormuz rules
Exploring the Gig Economy: Illustrations from Consultants













