Friends of NASA: 2026

Thursday, April 09, 2026

Earth & Moon Views: New Images Released | NASA Artemis II Mission

Earth & Moon Views: New Images Released | NASA Artemis II Mission

The Artemis II crew captures the Moons curved limb during their trip around the far side of the Moon.

A bright portion of the Moon is visible in this image. If you look closely, you can see linear, pitted features known as “crater chains” radiating from the Orientale basin, an impact crater with a patch of ancient lava at its center, visible in the bottom center of the image. These crater chains formed about 3.8 billion years ago, when rocks spewed from the collision that formed Orientale landed in lines extending away from the crater. These chains are found near other large craters on the Moon, but we do not get to see them on Earth because our planet’s crust has been turned over so many times through plate tectonics and largely erased by rain, wind, and ice.

In the upper left corner of the Moon disk is a line called the terminator, the boundary between lunar day and night. Here, low-angle sunlight skims the surface, casting dramatic shadows that expose the area’s topography—or the shape of its surface. Glushko crater is the bright spot just to the left of the dark mare, or “sea” of ancient lava flows on the near side of the Moon. It is identifiable by the bright rays that shoot across the mare, hundreds of miles away. These rays are made of ejected material after the collision that formed Glushko. Glushko and its rays are brighter than the surrounding area because that younger has experienced less weathering from radiation and impacts.

Oceanus Procellarum, the largest lava-filled region on the Moon, spans the horizon. The Aristarchus crater, the bright spot in the sea of lava, creeps toward the right edge of the Moon.

The Artemis II crew captures the Moons curved limb during their journey around the far side of the Moon.

The Artemis II Mission wrapped up a historic seven-hour lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, marking humanity’s first return to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and capturing images of the lunar far side.

On April 1, 2026, Artemis II’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending four astronauts on an approximately 10-day test flight around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Enjoy views of the launch from cameras affixed to the SLS rocket.

Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

Learn more about the mission:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

NASA Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen continue preparing for their return to Earth set for Friday, April 10, 2026.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Image Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Earthrise & Earthset: From Apollo to Artemis | NASA Artemis II Mission

Earthrise & Earthset: From Apollo to Artemis | NASA Artemis II Mission

Apollo then, Artemis now. A set of Earthset images captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, as well as Earthrise photos taken during the Apollo 11 (1969), 12 (1969), and 17 (1972) missions.

Image 2: This view of Earth rising over the Moon's horizon was taken from the Apollo spacecraft. The lunar terrain pictured is in the area of Smyth's Sea on the nearside. Coordinates of the center of the terrain are 85 degrees east longitude and 3 degrees north latitude.

Image 3: Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon. A muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime.

Image 4: The crescent Earth rises above the lunar horizon in this photograph taken from the Apollo 17 spacecraft in lunar orbit during NASA's final lunar landing mission in the Apollo program.

Image 5: The lunar surface fills the frame in sharp detail, as seen during the Artemis II lunar flyby, while a distant Earth sets in the background. This image was captured at 6:41 p.m. EDT, on April 6, 2026, just three minutes before the Orion spacecraft and its crew went behind.

Image 6: A partially illuminated Earth rises above the lunar horizon in this photograph taken from the Apollo 12 spacecraft in lunar orbit.

Image 7: As the Artemis II crew came close to passing behind the Moon and experiencing a planned loss of signal, they captured this image of a crescent Earth setting on the Moon’s limb. The edge of the visible surface of the Moon is called the “lunar limb.” Seen from afar, it almost looks like a circular arc—except when backlit, as in other images captured by the Artemis II crew.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission, April 1, 2026, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Ames Research Center
Duration: 28 seconds
Release Date: April 9, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Earthrise #Earthset #Moon #ApolloProgram #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #NASAAmes #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Launch: Camera Views | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Launch: Camera Views | Kennedy Space Center

Learn more about the mission: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 9 minute
Release Date: April 9, 2026

Solar Eclipse Views at The Moon | NASA Artemis II Mission

Solar Eclipse Views at The Moon | NASA Artemis II Mission

The Artemis II Mission wrapped up a historic seven-hour lunar flyby, marking humanity’s first return to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and capturing images of the lunar far side. As the lunar observation period ended, the crew witnessed a nearly hour-long solar eclipse as the spacecraft, the Moon and the Sun aligned. With a view of a mostly darkened Moon, the crew analyzed the solar corona—the Sun’s outermost atmosphere—as it appeared around the Moon’s edge.

During the eclipse, the crew had an opportunity to look for some rarely seen phenomena that are only visible on an unlit portion of the Moon. They reported six light flashes created by meteoroids impacting the lunar surface while traveling many thousands of miles per hour.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen continue preparing for their return to Earth set for Friday, April 10, 2026.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center

Duration: 18 seconds
Capture Date: April 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Sun #SolarEclipse #Planets #Mercury #Mars #Saturn #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 8: Brief Overview | Johnson Space Center

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 8: Brief Overview | Johnson Space Center

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen continue preparing for their return to Earth set for Friday, April 10, 2026, including reviewing re-entry and splashdown procedures and conducting a return trajectory correction burn.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission has been taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 1 minute, 19 seconds
Release Date: April 9, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Solar Eclipse at The Moon: Planets Saturn, Mars & Mercury | NASA Artemis II

Solar Eclipse at The Moon: Planets Saturn, Mars & Mercury | NASA Artemis II

The Moon and light from at least five objects in our solar system appear in this solar eclipse view from NASA's Artemis II Mission: Saturn, Mars, and Mercury, along with reflected sunlight from Earth (Earthshine) and the glow of the Sun's corona and/or zodiacal light scattered by interplanetary dust.

What's that strangely diffused white light?
Dust orbiting the Sun. At certain times of the year, a band of sun-reflecting dust from the inner Solar System appears prominently just after sunset—or just before sunrise—and is called zodiacal light. Although the origin of this dust is still being researched, a leading hypothesis holds that zodiacal dust originates mostly from faint Jupiter-family comets and that it slowly spirals into the Sun.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen continue preparing for their return to Earth set for Friday, April 10, 2026.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Image Date: April 7, 2026

A Moon Crater of Remembrance | NASA Artemis II Mission

A Moon Crater of Remembrance | NASA Artemis II Mission

The small, bright spot in the center of the image is the crater that the Artemis II crew have proposed as Carroll, after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife. About 3.5 miles across (5.6 km in diameter), the proposed Carroll crater is on the nearside of the lunar surface on the western edge and would be visible from Earth with powerful telescopes.

NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) map image of the proposed "Carroll" crater

NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) image of the proposed "Carroll" crater 3D anaglyph (wear your 'red-blue' 3D glasses)

The small, bright spot in the center of the first image is the crater that the Artemis II crew have proposed as Carroll, after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife. About 3.5 miles across (5.6 km in diameter), the proposed Carroll crater is on the nearside of the lunar surface on the western edge and would be visible from Earth with powerful telescopes. After the Artemis II Mission is complete, the crater name proposal will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Carroll is the name propsoed for a lunar impact crater located on the surface of the Moon. It was unofficially named on April 6, 2026, by the crew of the Artemis II mission during their flyby of the Moon, after Commander Reid Wiseman's wife Carroll Anne (Taylor) Wiseman that died in 2020. The crater is near the boundary between the Moon's near and far sides, allowing it to be seen from Earth at times.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission has been taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credits: NASA's Johnson Space Center/NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University
Release Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #LRO #CarrollCrater #CarrollWiseman #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Moon & Solar Eclipse Views: New Images Released | NASA Artemis II Mission

Moon & Solar Eclipse Views: New Images Released | NASA Artemis II Mission

During the first shift of the lunar flyby observation period, the Artemis II crew captured more than two-thirds of the Moon, highlighting surface details on the nearside, including the 600-mile-wide impact crater, Orientale basin, along the boundary between the near and far sides. They also captured the Grimaldi crater, a dark, round feature northeast of Orientale, known for its dark mare lava floor and heavily worn rim.

During the lunar flyby observation period, the Artemis II crew captures a detailed image of the Orientale basin, a 600-mile-wide impact crater marked by a dark patch of ancient lava that erupted through the Moon’s crust billions of years ago.

In this view captured by the Artemis II crew on the Orion spacecraft, a wedge of the Moon in nighttime is visible in the foreground, as the Sun is setting on the opposite side. This image captures the beginning of a total solar eclipse that astronauts were able to observe at the end of their lunar observation period during Orion’s closest approach to the Moon on April 6, 2026. Unlike minutes-long eclipses as viewed from Earth, the Artemis II crew witnessed the Sun hide behind the Moon for nearly an hour. Because the astronauts were so near the Moon, it appeared much larger than the Sun; because of this, it took longer for the Sun to make its transit across the Moon and peek out the other side. From Earth, in contrast, the Moon and Sun appear about the same size, so even small changes in their alignment quickly bring the Sun back into view, making totality much shorter.

The bright rays of light, or streamers, that are running outward towards the bottom of the Moon disk are part of the Sun's corona. The corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere and is only visible during a total solar eclipse. It is normally hidden by the bright light of the Sun's surface.

In addition, the jagged edge of the Moon visible in this image reveals the topography of backlit mountains on the horizon.

Artemis II astronauts captured these views of the Moon before, during, and after the time the Orion spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon between April 6-7, 2026.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Image Dates: April 6-7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #SolarEclipses #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 8 Highlights | Johnson Space Center

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 8 Highlights | Johnson Space Center

NASA’s Artemis II Mission has been taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 23 minutes
Release Date: April 8, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Moon & Earth Views: New Images Released | NASA Artemis II Mission

Moon & Earth Views: New Images Released | NASA Artemis II Mission

Seen from behind the Moon during Artemis II, the Moon and Earth align in the same frame, each partially illuminated by the Sun. The Moon’s surface appears in sharp detail in the foreground, while Earth sits much farther away, smaller and softly lit in the background. A faint reflection in the spacecraft window is also visible, subtly overlaying the scene. Though their phases differ, both are shaped by the same sunlight, revealing the geometry of the Sun–Earth–Moon system from deep space.

Seen side by side from deep space, the Moon and Earth share the frame—yet Earth appears as a small, delicate crescent against the blackness beyond. At this stage, Orion is approaching the Moon’s farside, placing the image earlier in the flyby, before closest approach during Artemis II. Though both worlds are visible, the scale and distance between them become immediately clear, offering a powerful perspective of how far the crew has traveled from home. Even in its reduced size, Earth’s soft glow stands out, a reminder of the only world we’ve ever known.

As the Artemis II crew flew over the terminator, the astronauts described this boundary between day and night as "anything but a straight line." Crater rims along the terminator stand out as "islands" in the night. Giant chains of craters emanating from the 3.7-billion-year-old Orientale basin can be seen scouring the surface, stretching almost to the terminator. This tells a geologic story: these crater chains produced by the Orientale impact event mar the surface of the relatively flat Hertzsprung Basin (center of this image), which means that Hertzsprung Basin must be even older than Orientale!

The Moon seen peeking above the window sill of the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. The Artemis II crew spent about 7 hours at the Orion windows during the flyby, taking photos and recording observations on the Moon to share with scientists on the ground.

A view from the window of the Orion spacecraft approximately 9 minutes before Earthset during the Artemis II lunar flyby on April 6, 2026.

A shot from early in the Artemis II lunar flyby, taken with a smaller aperture setting, shows a moodier version of the Moon than some of the other flyby images with more typical lighting settings. The four crew members spent about 7 hours photographing and recording observations of the Moon as they flew around the far side on April 6, 2026.

NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman pictured here in the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II lunar flyby. Wiseman and his fellow crewmates spent approximately seven hours taking turns at the Orion windows capturing science data to share with their team back on Earth. At closest approach, they came within 4,067 miles of the Moon’s surface.

NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman taking a moment during the seven-hour lunar observation period where the crew reported to the ground team their observations including color nuances, which will help enhance scientific understandings of the Moon.

Artemis II astronauts captured these views of the Moon and planet Earth before and during the time the Orion spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Image Date: April 6, 2026

Release Date: April 9, 2026

Wednesday, April 08, 2026

Comet C/2025 R3 PANSTARRS: View from California

Comet C/2025 R3 PANSTARRS: View from California

Astrophotographer Dan Bartlett: "So many of the comets I have imaged over the years start out with a green blob of a coma and a short spike-like tail. Over time, and under ideal conditions, a comet will grow loosing their sphericity and the tail grows longer with added details. When I processed this morning's addition of C/2025 R3 PANSTARRS, stacked the comet aligned images, I thought wow, now we have a comet! A nice shrouded envelope has started to form around the green coma and the tail is exhibiting some striking detail."

Discovered by the Pan-STARRS survey in September 2025, the comet is diving toward its closest approach to the sun (0.50 AU) on April 19, 2026, bringing it well inside the orbit of Venus. If current trends continue, the comet could brighten to magnitude +2, easily seen and photographed in the pre-dawn sky.

The comet's brightness will receive a further boost between April 24-25 when it passes almost directly between Earth and the Sun. The process is called "forward scattering." Sunlight passing through the comet's dusty atmosphere could be amplified 100-fold or more.

We will not be able to see the April 24 surge from Earth. The comet will be too close to the Sun. However, coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) will have a great view of what could briefly become a truly magnificent object.

California is a state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south.

Image Credit: Dan Bartlett
Location: June Lake California USA
Dan's website: https://app.astrobin.com/i/7eucvg?r=E
Date: April 7, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025R3Panstarrs #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #DanBartlett #Astrophotographers #JuneLake #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

'Rise' Zero Gravity Indicator: "Meet My Maker" | NASA Artemis II Moon Mission

'Rise' Zero Gravity Indicator: "Meet My Maker" | NASA Artemis II Moon Mission

"This was where my journey began at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center!"
"The Thermal Blanket Lab is where technicians make clothes—but for spacecraft."

"Paula Cain not only put me together, but she made me a cool ‘fit' as well.😎" —Rise

The Moon mascot for the Artemis II Mission is flying along with the crew, carrying 5,647,889 names on their journey around the Moon. People from around the world submitted their names through the Send Your Name with Artemis campaign. These names were downloaded onto an SD card that is safely stored inside Rise, the zero gravity indicator designed by 3rd grader Lucas Ye from California.

The zero gravity indicator for the Moonbound crew was selected from thousands of submissions from over 50 countries and is named “Rise.” The design was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment from the Apollo 8 mission.

During the selection process, the crew narrowed a list of 25 finalists to five top designs, including:

“Big Steps of Little Octopus,” Anzhelika Iudakova, Finland

“Corey the Explorer,” Daniela Colina, Peru

“Creation Mythos,” Johanna Beck, McPherson, Kansas

“Lepus the Moon Rabbit,” Oakville Trafalgar School, Canada

“Rise,” Lucas Ye, Mountain View, California

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard, was successfully launched on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, for the Artemis II Mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Credit: NASA

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: April 8, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #ZeroGravityIndicators #MoonMascot #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #ThermalBlanketLab #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Earthset, Far Side & Solar Eclipse Views | NASA Artemis II Mission

Earthset, Far Side & Solar Eclipse Views | NASA Artemis II Mission

Artemis II astronauts captured these views of the Moon and Planet Earth as the Orion spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026.

“You can see the surface of the Moon . . . we just went sci-fi.”

"On flight day seven, images from our NASA Artemis II crew amazed, turning science fiction to reality—from the lunar far side to a solar eclipse from the Moon . . . No pressure to pick a favorite."

"I define science fiction as the art of the possible . . ." —Ray Bradbury, American author (1920-2012)

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: April 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #SolarEclipse #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Milky Way Galaxy: Deep Space View | NASA Artemis II Mission

Milky Way Galaxy: Deep Space View | NASA Artemis II Mission

A sky full of stars. Following a successful lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts captured this photo of our galaxy, the Milky Way, on April 7, 2026.

From the glowing arc of the Milky Way to dozens of intricate constellations, the unaided human eye should be able to perceive several thousand stars on a clear, dark night. Unfortunately, growing light pollution has robbed about 30% of people around the globe and approximately 80% of people in the United States of the nightly view of their home galaxy.

Light pollution is a familiar problem that has many detrimental effects, not only on the practice of astronomy. It also has an impact on human health and wildlife, since it disrupts the cyclical transition from sunlight to starlight that biological systems have evolved alongside. Furthermore, the loss of visible stars is a poignant loss of human cultural heritage. Until relatively recently, humans throughout history had an impressive view of the starry night sky, and the effect of this nightly spectacle is evident in ancient cultures, from the myths it inspired to the structures that were built in alignment with celestial bodies.

Learn more via Globe at Night:

https://www.globeatnight.org

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Release Date: April 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #MilkyWayGalaxy #LightPollution #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Moon with Earth Music | NASA Artemis II Mission

The Moon with Earth Music | NASA Artemis II Mission

"Our interest in the Moon is not just a phase.🌕"

Artemis II astronauts captured these views of the Moon as the Orion spacecraft flew around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 1 minute, 40 seconds
Release Date: April 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Download Free Artemis II Moon Mission Wallpapers & Bonus Image Set

Download Free Artemis II Moon Mission Wallpapers + Bonus Image Set

Resembling a “handprint” to the Artemis II crew, this view highlights contrasting dark and light features on the Moon’s surface. From top to bottom, the darker regions include Oceanus Procellarum, Mare Humorum—known as the “Sea of Moisture”—and the crater Byrgius A.

A diverse set of lunar features is visible in this view, including the brightly colored Aristarchus crater, whose high reflectivity stands out against the surrounding terrain. Nearby, the Marius Hills region reveals a field of volcanic domes and cones, evidence of past lunar volcanism. The sinuous Reiner Gamma swirl contrasts with the darker mare surface, while rays from Glushko crater streak across the plains. At the bottom of the frame, the dark-floored Grimaldi crater anchors the scene.

The Artemis II crew captured a close-up snapshot of the near side of the Moon as NASA’s Orion spacecraft approached for the lunar flyby. The near side, characterized by the dark patches of ancient lava, is visible on the top third of the lunar disk. Aristarchus crater is the bright white dot in the midst of a dark grey lava flow at the top of the image.

Multiple lunar landmarks come into view in this image, many of which were highlighted during the Artemis II crew’s observation call. Visible features include Ohm crater, Oceanus Procellarum, Grimaldi crater, Pierazzo crater, the newly proposed Carroll crater, and the expansive Hertzsprung Basin—together illustrating a range of geologic terrains, from dark volcanic plains to heavily cratered highlands and the remnants of ancient impact basins.

Hertzsprung Basin comes into view with its distinctive two concentric rings of mountains, revealing the scale of this ancient impact structure. Near the lower left, Vavilov crater—identified by its central peak—stands out, a feature often described by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby.

A close-up view taken by the Artemis II crew of Vavilov Crater on the rim of the older and larger Hertzsprung basin. The right portion of the image shows the transition from smooth material within an inner ring of mountains to more rugged terrain around the rim. Vavilov and other craters and their ejecta are accentuated by long shadows at the terminator, the boundary between lunar day and night. The image was captured with a handheld camera at a focal length of 400 mm, as the crew flew around the far side of the Moon.

The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This grazing light accentuates the Moon’s rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail. Features along the terminator such as Jule Crater, Birkhoff Crater, Stebbins Crater, and surrounding highlands stand out. From this perspective, the interplay of light and shadow highlights the complexity of the lunar surface in ways not visible under full illumination. The image was captured about three hours into the crew’s lunar observation period, as they flew around the far side of the Moon on the sixth day of the mission.

Captured by the Artemis II crew, the heavily cratered terrain of the eastern edge of the South Pole-Aitken basin is seen with the shadowed terminator—the boundary between lunar day and night—at the top of the image. The South Pole-Aitken basin is the largest and oldest basin on the Moon, providing a glimpse into an ancient geologic history built up over billions of years.

Download free Artemis II wallpapers here:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-mobile-wallpapers/

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist onboard launched on the Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Release Date: April 8, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #Wallpapers #MobileDevices #STEM #Education

China's Long March-8 Rocket Adds 18 Internet Satellites after Hainan Night Launch

China's Long March-8 Rocket Adds 18 Internet Satellites after Hainan Night Launch

China launched a Long March-8 carrier rocket on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the southern island province of Hainan, sending 18 Internet satellites into space. The rocket blasted off at 21:32 (Beijing Time) from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. It successfully placed the payloads, the 7th batch of networking satellites for the Qianfan Constellation, also known as "Thousand Sails”, into their preset orbit. It was also a milestone mission for the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, marking the 14th launch from the site and the first time its own weather team handled the entire operation independently.

Qianfan is China's first giant low-orbit commercial satellite constellation to enter the formal networking phase. It will build a satellite Internet system that provides high-speed, real-time, secure, and reliable integrated solutions and services connecting space, air, ground and sea, independently constructed and operated by China. The project launched its first batch of satellites in August 2024 and aims to have a full operational network of more than 15,000 low-Earth orbit satellites in place by 2030. Qianfan is designed to support China's Belt and Road Initiative, providing secure digital links for Chinese businesses and infrastructure projects across the globe.

The Long March-8 rocket that carried out Tuesday's mission is a member of the Long March 8 family. Together with the Long March-8A carrier rocket, the two models feature the payload capacity of 5 tonnes and 7 tonnes to sun-synchronous orbit, respectively. This underscores China's upgraded launch capabilities for deploying satellites into medium and low Earth orbits.

This year, the Long March 8 rockets will enter a high-density launch schedule, continuing to support the development of China's low-Earth orbit satellite Internet constellation and the high-quality development of the country's commercial space sector.

Video Credit: SMG
Duration: 42 seconds
Release Date: April 8, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #SpaceSailConstellation #QianfanConstellation #千帆星座 #China #中国 #CNSA #中国国家航天局 #Rockets #LongMarch8Rockets #长征八号运载火箭 #MediumLiftRockets #CASC #SpaceTechnology #CommercialSpace #CommercialSpaceflight #Spaceports #Wenchang #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 7 Highlights | Johnson Space Center

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 7 Highlights | Johnson Space Center

Artemis II Flight Day 7 Highlights: Includes Artemis II Crew Ship-To-Ship Call with the International Space Station Crew, Post-Flyby Crew Debrief with Science Officials and Return Trajectory Correction 1 Burn.

At 8:03 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, April 7, 2026 the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, ignited its thrusters for 15 seconds, producing a change in velocity of 1.6 feet-per-second and guiding the Artemis II crew toward Earth. NASA astronaut Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen reviewed procedures and monitored the spacecraft’s configuration and navigation data.

During Tuesday’s mission status briefing, NASA officials shared the first images received from the crew during the lunar flyby and confirmed that the USS John P. Murtha has left port and is headed to the midway point toward the recovery site in the Pacific Ocean.

Going with the blood flow
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, along with Koch and Hansen, were scheduled to test an orthostatic intolerance garment. During the test, the crew will evaluate the garments—specialized equipment designed to help astronauts maintain blood pressure and circulation during the transition back to Earth’s gravity.

Piloting Orion
Following the garment testing, the crew were to take manual control of the spacecraft, using Orion’s field of view to center a designated target before guiding the spacecraft to a tail to Sun attitude and comparing Orion’s control modes. The manual piloting demonstration was set to begin at 9:59 p.m.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 25 minutes
Release Date: April 8, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAJohnson #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Crew Photos on the Journey Home | NASA Artemis II Mission

Crew Photos on the Journey Home | NASA Artemis II Mission

The Artemis II crew— (clockwise from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover—pause for a group photo with their zero gravity indicator "Rise," inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home.

The Artemis II crew—(from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Pilot Victor Glover, and Commander Reid Wiseman—pause for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home.

The Artemis II crew—(clockwise from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover—take time out for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home.

Mission Updates: At 8:03 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, April 7, 2026 the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, ignited its thrusters for 15 seconds, producing a change in velocity of 1.6 feet-per-second and guiding the Artemis II crew toward Earth. NASA astronaut Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen reviewed procedures and monitored the spacecraft’s configuration and navigation data.

NASA’s Artemis II Mission is taking Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Track NASA’s Artemis II Mission in real time:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arow/

Check the Artemis blog for updates:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Date: April 7, 2026

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