Artemis II Lunar Flyby: How to Watch NASA's Human Mission Reach Farthest Distance from Earth
The Artemis II mission is about to hit its most critical and historic phase. For the first time in over 50 years, humans are flying past the Moon, and this time, you can watch it live.
For more than five decades, human spaceflight has stayed surprisingly close to home. Astronauts have orbited Earth, lived aboard space stations, and pushed technology forward, but no one has ventured back into deep space since the Apollo era ended in 1972.
That boundary is now being broken.
NASA’s Artemis II mission has already crossed the invisible line that separates routine spaceflight from true deep-space travel. The Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, is now moving along a trajectory that will take it beyond the Moon’s far side and farther from Earth than any human has ever been. At its peak, the mission is expected to reach over 400,000 kilometres from Earth, surpassing the record set during Apollo 13.
The moment everyone is watching is the lunar flyby. This is where Orion loops around the Moon, disappears briefly behind it, and uses its gravity to begin the journey back. It is not a landing, but it is the most demanding phase of the mission, both technically and operationally.
What makes this different from past missions is intent. Apollo pushed boundaries because it had to. Artemis II is doing it deliberately. The spacecraft is being tested far from Earth, where communication delays, isolation, and system reliability are no longer theoretical concerns but real operational challenges.
The astronauts will spend a portion of this flyby completely cut off from Earth as the Moon blocks all communication. When Orion re-emerges, it will not just reconnect with mission control, it will confirm whether NASA’s next-generation spacecraft can operate independently in deep space.
This is why Artemis II matters. It is not about revisiting the Moon for nostalgia. It is about proving that humans can go farther, stay longer, and return safely, laying the groundwork for future lunar missions and, eventually, journeys to Mars.
- Listen to this article
6 April 2026 at 22:43 IST
Artemis II Crew First To See Far Side Of Moon
A new photo captures the Moon's near side on the right (the side we see from Earth, identifiable by its dark splotches) and its far side on the left. The Artemis II crew are the first to see the far side with human eyes.
6 April 2026 at 21:50 IST
Artemis II crew is ready to make the history
Advertisement
6 April 2026 at 21:05 IST
Artemis II LIVE Updates: Historic Moon Flyby Key Moments
Key moments (India Standard Time):
11:26 p.m. IST — Artemis II crew surpasses the Apollo 13 distance record
12:15 a.m. IST (April 7) — Lunar observation phase begins
4:17 a.m. IST — Communications blackout begins as the spacecraft slips behind the Moon (lasting 40 minutes)
4:32 a.m. IST — Closest approach to the lunar surface
4:35 a.m. IST — Spacecraft reaches its farthest point from Earth
6 April 2026 at 20:02 IST
The lunar observation will begin subsequently
The lunar observation period will begin at 2.45 pm and last about seven hours, during which the Artemis II crew will see both the near and far sides of the Moon. Since space at Orion’s windows is limited, the crew will split into pairs, with two members observing for 55 to 85 minutes while the other pair exercises or handles other tasks.
Advertisement
6 April 2026 at 19:42 IST
History set to be made
After the conversation, scheduled to begin at 1.30 pm local time, ends, the Artemis II will make history by surpassing the record previously set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970 for the farthest humans have ever travelled in space. This flyby is slated to begin at 1.56 pm. Artemis will reach the longest distance of 252,760 miles from Earth, surpassing the record by about 4,105 miles.
6 April 2026 at 19:13 IST
What can we expect to see during lunar flyby?
With the live stream set to begin at 1 pm local time, NASA's coverage for Artemis II's lunar flyby will commence with a conversation between the crew and the science officer in NASA's Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to go over the objectives and timeline for the flyby.
6 April 2026 at 19:04 IST
How to Watch the Artemis II Flyby Live
NASA has announced that the entire flyby will be live-streamed on its website, NASA+ streaming platform, and YouTube. But those are not your only options. The lunar flyby will also be available on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, Apple TV, Roku, and HBO Max. The stream will begin at 1 pm local time (10.30 pm IST).
Published By : Shubham Verma
Published On: 6 April 2026 at 19:14 IST
