
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
25 Years Ago, Audi's Rosemeyer Concept Was A Steampunk Supercar With A Massive Engine - 2
This Overlooked Predator Is Running Out of Time—Why Conservationists Are Racing to Save the Striped Hyena - 3
Thermo Fisher wins contracts as pharma shifts production to US, CEO says - 4
AfD in Brandenburg takes back suit against the intelligence service - 5
Yes, NASA's launching Artemis 2 astronauts to the moon on April Fools' Day. It's not a joke.
The beauty advent calendar boom is here. Sephora kids are all in.
Chief of Staff Zamir warns IDF will collapse due to lack of manpower, raises 'ten red flags'
Doctor's orders? ‘Belly laugh at least two to five days a week'
The Beginning Of The End For Fossil Fuels Can Start In Colombia
The Fate of Mechanical technology: 5 Headways Forming Tomorrow
Exemplary Fragrances: A Manual for Notorious Scents
Monetary Versatility: Get ready for Life's Unforeseen Difficulties
German men need approval for stays abroad under military service law
The most effective method to Augment Benefits in Gold Speculation: Systems and Tips













