Artemis II Crew Becomes First 4 Humans to See Moon's Far Side
Updated
Updated · wnyc.org · Jun 8
Artemis II Crew Becomes First 4 Humans to See Moon's Far Side
3 articles · Updated · wnyc.org · Jun 8
Summary
Four Artemis II astronauts became the first humans to glimpse the moon’s far side during the April mission, seeing a region permanently hidden from Earth.
Reid Wiseman, the mission commander, also became the oldest person to travel beyond low Earth orbit at age 50.
Wiseman said one surprise was how quickly Earth shrank from view, appearing as a tiny bright crescent from deep space.
The milestone underscores NASA’s return to crewed lunar exploration after decades away, with Artemis II marking a new phase in moon missions.
Beyond the technology, how is the Artemis II mission's human story changing our vision for life off-world?
With humans back at the Moon, what is the single biggest obstacle to building a permanent base within the next decade?
Artemis II: NASA’s 2026 Crewed Lunar Flyby—Technical Triumph, Human Perspective, and the Path to a Moon Landing
Overview
Artemis II marked NASA’s first crewed return to lunar space in over 50 years, launching on April 1, 2026. This mission was a pivotal moment in human space exploration, serving as a critical test flight for future deep-space missions. The Orion capsule, carrying astronauts, performed exceptionally and exceeded engineers’ expectations, passing every major test since liftoff. Throughout its initial six days, Artemis II confirmed that Orion functioned precisely as designed with a human crew. The mission’s success demonstrated NASA’s readiness for future lunar voyages and advanced the goal of sustainable exploration beyond Earth.