NASA mission flying by far side of moon

Key Points:

• The Artemis II crew briefly lost contact with Earth for about 40 minutes as the Orion spacecraft passed behind the moon, blocking radio signals, but communication was restored around 7:25 p.m. ET as Orion reemerged and the crew witnessed an Earthrise.
• Orion reached a new human spaceflight distance record at 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13's 1970 record by over 4,100 miles, while also making its closest approach to the moon at about 4,070 miles above the surface.
• During the lunar flyby, the astronauts conducted detailed observations of the moon's geography, including studying large craters like Orientale and Hertzsprung, and proposed names for two previously unnamed lunar features, marking an emotional moment onboard.
• The crew experienced a total solar eclipse from orbit between 8:35 and 9:32 p.m. ET, providing a unique opportunity to observe the sun’s corona and search for meteoroid impacts on the lunar surface.
• The mission followed a carefully planned schedule of lunar observations, with astronauts describing surface features and capturing iconic images such as the Earthrise, while also preparing for future lunar exploration by assessing potential landing sites.