
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
Idris Elba is the king of the stress-watch - 2
The moon up close: How the Artemis 2 astronauts are photographing their historic lunar flyby - 3
‘Ukrainian housewives’ and Skyranger delays – German defense poster child Rheinmetall is in hot water - 4
Medtronic has 'significant firepower' for multiple acquisitions, executives say - 5
Do you lean your seat back on the plane? These travel pros — and real-life couple — won't do it.
Find the Abilities Required for Advanced Advertising Position
Full Supreme Court to hear challenge to Judicial Selection Committee law
REWE launches seventh Pick&Go test store in Hanover
Vote in favor of your Number one kind of juice
Washington resident contracts bird flu, first human case in U.S. since February
Fundamental Home Exercise center Hardware: Amplify Your Exercises
I went to Japan during peak cherry blossom season and found an easy way to escape the crowds at popular tourist attractions
6 Popular Ladies' Aromas On the planet
'Crammed into a cell with vermin at New Year'













