Artemis II - Return to the Moon

ARTEMIS II

Humanity Returns to the Moon

April 1–10, 2026

Photo credit: NASA

April 1, 2026 — 6:35 PM EDT

Kennedy Space Center, Florida

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Upper stage separation, 0:21, 4K

Video credit: NASA

Commander Reid Wiseman

Pilot Victor Glover

Mission Specialist Christina Koch

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (CSA)

Photo credit: NASA

252,706 miles from home.

Farther than any human has ever traveled.

Photo credit: NASA

Day 4. The far side appears.

Photo credit: NASA

Vavilov Crater — the far side of the Moon.

Terrain no human eye had ever seen.

Photo credit: NASA

Simulated flyby of the lunar far side, 1:00, 4K

Video credit: NASA

Earthrise. Again.

For the first time in 53 years.

Photo credit: NASA

A solar eclipse — from the far side of the Moon.

54 minutes of totality.

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The view from 200,000 miles out.

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10,000 photos. 700,237 miles flown.

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April 10, 2026 — 8:07 PM EDT

Pacific Ocean, near San Diego.

A perfect bullseye splashdown.

Photo credit: NASA

Crew welcomed home in Houston, 4:01, 4K

Video credit: NASA

This was just the flyby.

Next: Artemis III — boots on the Moon.

Photo credit: NASA