Artemis II astronauts have captured never-before-seen views of the Moon while en route in April 2026. The mission offers rare visuals of the lunar far side and tests deep-space systems for future exploration.

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• Artemis II crew shared new images of Moon and spacecraft interior.
• Astronauts captured rare view of Orientale basin on lunar far side.
• The crater marks transition between near side and far side of Moon.
• Astronaut Christina Koch described the view as unfamiliar and spectacular.
• Moon appears larger as spacecraft moves closer during journey.
• Mission is over halfway complete with lunar flyby scheduled soon.
• Spacecraft traveling over 405,000 km, setting new human distance record.
• Orion spacecraft systems being tested for deep-space missions.
• First crewed Moon mission in over 50 years since Apollo era.
• Mission prepares groundwork for future long-term lunar exploration.