What to know about Artemis II's record-breaking moon flyby
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Artemis II astronauts are set to break Apollo 13's distance record from Earth by about 4,000 miles during their lunar flyby, marking humanity's farthest journey from the planet since 1972.
- The crew will orbit the moon without landing, capturing rare views of the moon's far side, including previously unseen areas like the Orientale Basin, using professional cameras and personal devices.
- A total solar eclipse visible only from the Orion capsule will occur during the flyby, offering astronauts a unique opportunity to observe the sun's corona and monitor solar activity.
- Communication with Mission Control will be lost for approximately 40 minutes while Orion is behind the moon, a routine blackout period managed through NASA's Deep Space Network.
- After the lunar flyby, Artemis II will return to Earth, aiming for a Pacific splashdown near San Diego on April 10, with plans for the astronauts to communicate with the International Space Station crew during the journey home.
