Four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission travelled 252,760 miles from Earth in April 2026, surpassing a record that had stood for 55 years.
What happened
On April 6 2026 the Artemis II crew reached 252,760 miles from Earth, the furthest any humans have travelled since Apollo in 1972.
The spacecraft Orion passed behind the Moon, with the crew experiencing a 40-minute communication blackout with Earth.
From behind the Moon, the crew witnessed a total solar eclipse with the Moon’s shadow sweeping across the Earth below.
The Artemis programme plans to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable lunar presence.
Why it is good news
Human beings travelling further from Earth than anyone in over half a century is a milestone worth marking. Space exploration returned to the Moon.
Source: Rest Less