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Artemis II crew reaches midpoint on lunar journey
NASA's Artemis II mission has transmitted the first high-resolution photographs of Earth taken by astronauts as they pass the halfway mark between our planet and the Moon. The images, described as "spectacular" by the space agency, were captured after a critical engine maneuver propelled the Orion spacecraft toward its lunar destination.
Milestone moment in deep space
At approximately 07:00 BST on Saturday, NASA's live tracking system showed Orion positioned 142,000 miles (228,500 km) from Earth and 132,000 miles from the Moon. The crew celebrated the milestone-reached two days, five hours, and 24 minutes after liftoff-with what astronaut Christina Koch called a shared "expression of joy."
Earth through the lens: A new perspective
The first photograph, titled Hello, World, presents a dramatic view of the Atlantic Ocean bathed in sunlight, framed by the Earth's glowing atmosphere and vibrant auroras near both poles. The planet appears inverted, with the western Sahara and Iberian Peninsula visible on the left and eastern South America on the right. NASA identified Venus as the bright object in the lower right corner of the frame.
Mission commander Reid Wiseman, who took the images, initially struggled with exposure settings, comparing the challenge to photographing the Moon from a backyard. "It's like walking out back at your house, trying to take a picture of the Moon," he told mission control in Houston. The issue was later resolved, allowing the crew to document their journey with clarity.
From daylight to darkness: A planet divided
Among the images shared by NASA is a striking view of Earth split by the terminator-the boundary between day and night. Another photograph captures the planet in near-total darkness, with human settlements illuminated by electric lights, creating a constellation of twinkling dots against the void.
"We are getting a beautiful view of the dark side of the Earth, lit by the Moon."
Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II Mission Specialist
Hansen reported that the crew was "glued to the windows" after completing the trans-lunar injection burn early Friday, which shifted Orion out of Earth's orbit and onto its lunar trajectory. The enthusiasm left the spacecraft's windows smudged, prompting Wiseman to radio Houston for cleaning advice.
Historical echoes and future horizons
NASA released a side-by-side comparison of the 2026 Earth images alongside a similar photograph taken by the Apollo 17 crew in 1972-the last time humans ventured beyond Earth's orbit. "We've come so far in the last 54 years, but one thing hasn't changed: our home looks gorgeous from space!" the agency remarked.
The Artemis II mission, launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, is now on a looping trajectory that will carry the four astronauts around the Moon's far side. The crew is expected to reach the lunar vicinity on 6 April and return to Earth with a Pacific Ocean splashdown on 10 April, marking the first human lunar flyby in over five decades.
