
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
PA accuses Israel of 'human trafficking' after planeload of Gazans arrives in South Africa - 2
Giant ‘toothed’ birds flew over Antarctica 40 million to 50 million years ago - 3
Investigate These Retreats Well known With Seniors - 4
Avoid Slam: Exploring the Pickup Truck Transformation - 5
How federal officials talk about health is shifting in troubling ways – and that change makes me worried for my autistic child
A 3-limbed Kemp's ridley sea turtle is now being tracked at sea by satellite
5 VIPs That Changed Style
Viable Monetary Tips to Advance Your Monetary Circumstance
The most effective method to Alter Your Savvy Bed for A definitive Rest Insight
Young Muslims in Germany feel left out of Mideast debate, experts say
A Colombian city swaps iconic horse buggies for electric carriages amid animal welfare concerns
Boats escort freed whale away from shallow waters off German coast
5 Morning Schedules That Stimulate Your Day
Vote in favor of your Number one Sort of Cap













