Artemis II: Crew snaps ‘Earthset’ in throwback to Apollo 8

Astronauts Capture Historic Moment

The Artemis II crew recently documented the Earth’s descent behind the moon’s horizon, echoing a vintage space photography tradition from the 1960s. This image, taken on Tuesday, marks a symbolic link to the Apollo 8 mission’s iconic Earthrise photo captured in 1968. As the astronauts prepare to re-enter Earth’s orbit, their actions highlight a nostalgic connection to early space exploration milestones.

During their journey, the team set a new distance record, surpassing the Apollo 13 benchmark by over 4,000 miles. Artemis II achieved a maximum altitude of 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers), establishing a new benchmark for human space travel. The mission is expected to conclude with a Pacific splashdown near California’s coast on Friday, following a record-breaking mission that saw them venture farther from Earth than any crew before.

On Tuesday, the four astronauts donned protective eyewear to observe a total solar eclipse from their vantage point. This event, where the moon obscured the sun, provided a striking visual moment during their extended stay in lunar orbit. The crew consists of Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, each representing a milestone in space exploration. Glover, the first Black astronaut to orbit the moon, Koch, the first woman to do so, and Hansen, the first non-American, join Wiseman to form a historic team.

“Humans probably have not evolved to see what we’re seeing,” remarked Victor Glover. “It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing.”