In Pictures: The spectacular journey of Artemis II around the Moon
Artemis II is a ten-day lunar flyby mission with a crew of four astronauts that launched on April 1, 2026. It is the first crewed flight of NASA’s Artemis programme and the first crewed flight beyond low earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The ten-day mission will test deep space systems and pave the way for future Moon landings.
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Handout pic released by NASA on April 7 showing crescent Earth setting along the Moon's limb as seen from the Orion spacecraft on April 6.
PHOTO: AFP
The Artemis II crewed lunar mission lifting off from Kennedy Space Center on April 1. Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.
PHOTO: AFP
A crowd at Space Center Houston during the watch party for the launch of Artemis II on April 1. The successful launch elicited deep feelings for many Americans, particularly in Houston, the home of mission control.
PHOTO: NYT
The solid rocket boosters of Artemis II providing 7.2 million pounds of thrust during launch. The crew, three Americans and a Canadian, are the first humans to travel to the moon in more than 50 years. They will not land on the surface, but the mission will pave the way for future visits.
PHOTO: NYT
The Sun is fully eclipsed by the Moon during the Artemis II lunar flyby as seen on April 7.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Two portraits of Earth from space, 54 years apart: the image on the left is from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, while the pic on the right was taken by the Artemis II crew on April 3.
PHOTO: NASA
Commander of the Artemis II mission Reid Wiseman peering through a window during the flyby around the far side of the Moon on April 6.
PHOTO: NYT
Artemis II crew members Mission Specialist Christina Koch (top left), Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (bottom left), Commander Reid Wiseman (bottom right) and Pilot Victor Glover (top right) using eclipse viewers to protect their eyes during the solar eclipse they experienced during their lunar flyby on April 6.
PHOTO: AFP
Artemis II Mission Specialist and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen shaving inside the Orion spacecraft on April 6.
PHOTO: AFP
A view of the Vavilov Crater (centre) and the Hertzsprung Basin (right) on the far side of the Moon during the Artemis II flyby on April 6.
PHOTO: NYT
NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch looking at the Earth through one of the main cabin windows as the crew travels towards the Moon on April 2.
PHOTO: REUTERS
