
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
Clocks to go forward one hour in Europe as summer time starts - 2
The Most Compelling Books of the 10 years - 3
How will the universe end? - 4
The most effective method to Quick Track Your Outcome in Advanced Showcasing with a Web-based Degree - 5
6 Solid Vehicle Fix Administrations to Keep Your Vehicle in Prime Condition
The Best Computer games for Multiplayer Fun
5 Superstar Couples That Motivate Relationship Objectives
Is relief in sight? Flu season still brutal but cases are declining.
Nearly 16,000 New York City nurses prepare to strike as contract talks stall
Arrow Exploration brings new Colombian oil well on stream ahead of schedule and under budget
Bayer sues COVID vaccine makers over mRNA technology
Manual for Tracking down Spending plan Agreeable Travel Objections
Tech for Efficiency: Applications and Apparatuses to Accomplish More
Manual for Famous people Known for Their Altruistic Endeavors













