
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
Investigating Design and Individual Style: Track down Your Remarkable Look - 2
Apollo's impatient old-timers are rooting for NASA's return to the moon with Artemis II launch - 3
Strength training is crucial after menopause. How to make the most of your workouts - 4
Police investigate Lahav 433 officer accused of sexually harassing subordinate policewoman - 5
Find the Standards of Viable Nurturing: Supporting Blissful and Strong Kids
Trump says Cuba is 'ready to fall' after capture of Venezuela's Maduro
Israel's Druze use AI to present to UN testimonies of 'sexual terrorism' against Syrian Druze women
From Certificate to Dollars: College Majors with Extraordinary Monetary Prizes
Step by step instructions to Get the Best Vehicle Rent Arrangement: Insider Tips and Systems
Careful Nurturing: Techniques for Bringing up Tough Children
The 15 Most Motivating TED Discusses All Time
Dominating the Art of Composing: Creator Bits of knowledge
Most loved Well known Accessory Styles For 2024
NASA is sending astronauts back to the moon. Can you see the Artemis 4 landing sites from Earth?













