Artemis II Flight Day 6: New Record! Astronauts Wrap 7-Hour Lunar Flyby, Speak Live With Trump
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts are making history on Flight Day 6 with a stunning lunar flyby, rare solar eclipse views and record-breaking distance from Earth. Check live updates as the crew shares images, regains communication and begins the journey back home.
- Science News
- 5 min read
Four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II test flight around the Moon made history at 1:56 pm EDT on Monday, April 6, when they reached 248,655 miles from Earth, surpassing the farthest distance ever travelled by humans, a record previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The Artemis II crew is now more than halfway through their mission and is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 pm EDT on Friday, April 10.
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen lifted off at 6:35 pm EDT on April 1 from launch pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The crew are participating in live conversations throughout the mission, which were scheduled prior to their departure from Earth.
The astronauts are putting the Orion spacecraft through a series of planned tests to evaluate systems, procedures, and performance in deep space. They are conducting manual spacecraft operations and monitoring automated activities; evaluating Orion’s life-support, propulsion, power, thermal, and navigation systems; performing proximity operations activities; assessing habitability and crew interfaces; and participating in science activities, including lunar surface observations and human health studies, that will inform science operations on future Moon missions.
The crew are also practising mission-critical activities, including trajectory adjustments, communications at lunar distances, and piloting Orion during key phases of flight, culminating in a re-entry and splashdown to further validate the spacecraft’s performance with crew aboard.
What Trump Told The Crew? Listen To The Live Conversation Between Astronauts & US President
Artemis II LIVE: During a live conversation with the Artemis II crew, US President Donald Trump said, “We'll plant our flag once again, and this time we won't just leave footprints. We'll establish a permanent presence on the moon, and we'll push on to Mars. That'll be very exciting. America will be second to none in space and everything else that we're doing, and we will continue to lead into the stars.
When Can You See The Moon Flyby Images Astronauts Captured?
Artemis II LIVE: Scientists already are looking forward to the images, along with the many others taken during the flyby. After the lunar data is downlinked from the spacecraft overnight, scientists will look at images, audio, and other data to determine better times and locations of the flashes and seek input from amateurs who were observing the Moon at the same time. The crew will discuss their observations with the lunar science team on Tuesday, April 7, in a conversation that will broadcast in NASA’s live coverage.
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Sun Eclipsed! Watch Moment When Orion Passed Behind Moon
Artemis II LIVE:
'Modern-Day Pioneers': Trump Speaks To Artemis II Crew
US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) spoke to the crew members of Artemis II mission and praised them for inspiring the world with their feat. Noting that they made history, the US President said that the mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface. Trump also said that US would eventually establish permanent presence on the moon and then aim at Mars. “Today you have made history and made all America incredibly proud. Humans have never really seen anything quite like what you're doing in a manned spacecraft. It's really special. You all made this day possible. You've inspired the entire world,” Trump said.
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On The Shoulders Of Giants
Making Possible The Near-Impossible: NASA Administrator Congratulates Cew
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated the Artemis II mission crew and the entire NASA team, but said this mission wasn’t over until the astronauts are under safe parachutes, splashing down into the Pacific.
WATCH! Artemis II Passing Close To The Moon
The Rare Sight Crew Witnessed During Hour-Long Solar Eclipse
Artemis II LIVE: As the lunar observation period ended, the crew witnessed a nearly hour-long solar eclipse as the spacecraft, the Moon and the Sun aligned. With a view of a mostly darkened Moon, the crew analyzed the solar corona, the Sun’s outermost atmosphere, as it appeared around the Moon’s edge.
During the eclipse, the crew had an opportunity to look for some rarely seen phenomena that are only visible on an unlit portion of the Moon. They reported six light flashes created by meteoroids impacting the lunar surface while traveling many thousands of miles per hour.
Earthset & Earthrise: What did the astronauts observe?
Artemis II LIVE: The four astronauts noted differences in colour, brightness and texture, which provide clues that help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface. The crew witnessed an “Earthset”, the moment Earth dropped below the lunar horizon, as Orion travelled behind the Moon and an “Earthrise” as the spacecraft emerged from the opposite edge of the Moon.
Signal lost! What happened during those 40 minutes?
Artemis II LIVE: The momentous day began at 1:56 p.m. EDT. During a planned 40-minute loss of signal as Orion passed behind the Moon, the spacecraft and its crew made their closest approach at 7:00 p.m., flying at about 4,067 miles above the surface. Two minutes later, the crew reached the mission’s maximum distance from Earth at 252,756 miles, setting a new record for human spaceflight.
As they flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features, including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time.
Crew Wraps Historic Lunar Flyby
Artemis II LIVE: The Artemis II mission wrapped up a historic seven-hour lunar flyby, marking humanity’s first return to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and capturing images of the lunar far side.
After the lunar observation period concluded, the Artemis II crew was congratulated by President Donald J. Trump, in a live conversation that aired as part of NASA’s continuing live coverage of the mission. They also spoke with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and answered questions from social media.