The crew that saw what no one had seen
After emerging from behind the Moon, the four crew members of Artemis II headed their capsule home Monday night. They had seen sights never before witnessed with the naked eye and set a new distance record for our species.
The seven-hour flyby marked the climax of NASA’s first return to the Moon since the Apollo era. This time with three Americans and one Canadian, moving towards the goal of walking on the lunar south pole in just two years.
A record with its own name
First came the prize: Artemis II surpassed the 400,171 kilometers established by Apollo 13 in April 1970. The moment occurred just before the start of the intense period of lunar observations.
“I’m amazed at what you can see with the naked eye from the Moon right now. It’s just incredible,” Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen radioed.
He urged “this generation and the next to ensure that this record does not stand for long.”
The emotional moments did not take long to arrive. After breaking the record, the astronauts asked permission to name two newly observed lunar craters: Integrity (the name of their capsule) and Carroll, in honor of the wife of Commander Reid Wiseman, who died in 2020.
Wiseman cried when Hansen made the request to Mission Control. The four hugged each other through tears.
“Such a majestic sight out here,” Wiseman conveyed as he regained his composure.
The astronauts managed to capture the Moon and the Earth in the same shot. They continually told scientists in Houston about what they saw: Some peaks were so bright they seemed covered in snow, as pilot Victor Glover described.
The Apollo 13 route with current technology
The day began with a recorded message from Commander Jim Lovell of Apollo 13, who died just two months earlier:
“Welcome to my old neighborhood,” Lovell said. “It’s a historic day and I know how busy you will be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view.”
Artemis II used the same maneuver that saved Apollo 13 after its famous explosion: a free return lunar trajectory. This route takes advantage of the terrestrial and lunar gravities, forming a celestial figure in the shape of an eight, drastically reducing fuel consumption.
For more than half an hour behind the satellite – with communications interrupted – they made their closest approach: 6,545 kilometers. They reached their maximum record distance: 406,771 kilometers from Earth.
Science between tears and amazement
The crew spent years studying lunar geography to prepare. Its main objective: to observe the Eastern basin, formed by impacts with concentric rings that extend almost 950 kilometers.
They also searched for the Apollo 12 and 14 moon landing sites, as well as the edges of the south pole – the future target area. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn were visible during the observations.
Glover reflected on flying during Easter:
“This is an opportunity to remember where we are, who we are… we have to move forward together,” he said, linking hands with his companions.
Artemis II paves the way for Artemis III next year and a manned lunar landing in 2028. Four days after the historic flyby, they will splash down in the Pacific closing this crucial test.
