Artemis II Shatters Distance Record on Lunar Flyby

The Artemis II mission has completed a historic loop around the Moon, setting a new record for human spaceflight. The four-person crew traveled more than 252,000 miles from Earth. This is the farthest any humans have ever ventured from our planet. After reaching this maximum distance, the Orion spacecraft began its return journey. The mission is a key test before NASA plans to land astronauts on the lunar surface. Artemis II did not land but successfully tested spacecraft systems with a crew on board. The crew is now en route back to Earth, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean expected soon.