Moon Science: Orientale Basin Views | NASA Artemis II Mission

Moon Science: Orientale Basin Views | NASA Artemis II Mission

In this view of the Moon, taken by the Artemis II crew at 2:19 p.m. EDT, just before the crew began their observation period, Orientale basin is visible in the center with a black patch of ancient lava in the center that punched through the Moon’s crust in an eruption billions of years ago. This 600-mile-wide impact crater lies along the transition between the near and far sides and is sometimes partly visible from Earth. The small, bright crater to its left is Byrgius, which has 250-mile rays extending out from its basin.

During their lunar flyby observation period, the Artemis II crew captured this image at 3:41 p.m. EDT, showing the rings of the Orientale basin, one of the Moon’s youngest and best-preserved large impact craters. These concentric rings offer scientists a rare window into how massive impacts shape planetary surfaces, helping refine models of crater formation and the Moon’s geologic history. At the 10 o’clock position of the Orientale basin, the two smaller craters that the Artemis II crew has suggested be named Integrity and Carroll—are visible. These show how crew observations can support surface feature identification for lunar science.

Just over half of the Moon fills the left half of the image. The near side, characterized by the dark patches of ancient lava, is visible on the top third of the lunar disk. Orientale basin, a round crater in the center with a black patch of ancient lava in the center, is wrapped in rings of mountains. The round black spot northeast of Orientale is Grimaldi crater, and Aristarchus crater is the bright white dot in the midst of a dark grey lava flow at the top of the image.

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen in the foreground, lit up by the Sun. A first quarter Moon is visible behind it with sunlight coming from the right. Near the bottom right edge of the Moon, Orientale basin stands out with a black patch of ancient lava in its center. A 600-mile-wide impact crater ringed by mountains, Orientale straddles the near and far sides of the Moon. 

The Orion spacecraft is seen in the foreground lit up by the Sun. A waxing gibbous Moon is visible in the background. Orientale basin, a 600-mile-wide impact crater ringed by mountains, is visible toward the center bottom of the Moon. This basin straddles the Moon’s near and far sides. The area to the left of Orientale, a patch of ancient lava in its basin, is the far side; this is the hemisphere we do not see from Earth. To the right of Orientale is the near side, the hemisphere we look upon from Earth. The nearside is notable for giant, dark patches of ancient lave flows that cover its surface.

The large crater visible in these images is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon’s near and far sides. Orientale's left half is not visible from Earth, but in these images we have a full view of the crater. Part of the crater is on the far side, the hemisphere we do not get to see from Earth because the Moon rotates on its axis at the same rate that it orbits round us.

The Orientale Basin, also known as Mare Orientale, located on the far side of the Moon, is a massive, multi-ringed impact structure formed about 3.8 billion years ago during the Late Heavy Bombardment. It is the youngest and best-preserved of the Moon's large impact basins, measuring roughly 950 kilometers (about 590 miles) across. The basin's three concentric rings of mountain ranges, resembling a giant bullseye, formed by a massive asteroid impact, provide critical data on how massive impacts shaped the early solar system. It is used as a baseline to compare other impact craters on rocky worlds from Mercury to Pluto.

On April 6, 2026, 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 they flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time.

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
Date: April 6, 2026

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

Crew Lunar Flyby Photos | NASA Artemis II Mission

Crew Lunar Flyby Photos | NASA Artemis II Mission

Midway through their lunar observation period, the Artemis II crew members, seen here (From left to right: Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch), pause to turn the camera around for a selfie inside the Orion spacecraft.

Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover (left), Commander Reid Wiseman (center), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (right) prepare for their journey around the far side of the Moon by configuring their camera equipment shortly before beginning their lunar flyby observations.

Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover, on the left, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, on the right, gather images and observations of the lunar surface to share with the world during the lunar flyby on the sixth day of the mission. The crew spent approximately seven hours taking turns at the windows of the Orion spacecraft as they flew around the far side of the Moon. At closest approach, they came within 4,067 miles of the Moon’s surface.

Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out the window of the Orion spacecraft just as his first lunar observation period of the day begins. Throughout the course of the sixth day of the mission, Wiseman and his crewmates took turns at the windows, capturing images and video of the Moon, along with recorded observations. The astronauts are members of the science team, and the data they collect will support lunar science.

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen captures an image through the camera shroud covering window 2 of the Orion spacecraft. The camera shroud, essentially a curtain with a hole for the lens to pass through, is used to prevent light from the cabin from reflecting on the windowpanes.

Canadian Space Agency astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen is seen taking images through the Orion spacecraft window early in the Artemis II lunar flyby.

Artemis II emblem

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 they flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time. They also noted color, brightness and texture, providing clues that help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface. The crew witnessed an “Earthset”—the moment Earth dropped below the lunar horizon—as Orion traveled behind the Moon and an “Earthrise” as the spacecraft emerged from the opposite edge of the Moon.

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.

Scientists already are looking forward to the images, along with the many others taken during the flyby. After the lunar data is downlinked from the spacecraft overnight, scientists will look at images, audio, and other data to determine better times and locations of the flashes and seek input from amateurs who were observing the Moon at the same time.

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
Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #LunarFlyby #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 6 Highlights: Lunar Flyby | Johnson Space Center

NASA Artemis II Flight Day 6 Highlights: Lunar Flyby | Johnson Space Center

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 they flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time. They also noted color, brightness and texture, providing clues that help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface. The crew witnessed an “Earthset”—the moment Earth dropped below the lunar horizon—as Orion traveled behind the Moon and an “Earthrise” as the spacecraft emerged from the opposite edge of the Moon.

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.

Scientists already are looking forward to the images, along with the many others taken during the flyby. After the lunar data is downlinked from the spacecraft overnight, scientists will look at images, audio, and other data to determine better times and locations of the flashes and seek input from amateurs who were observing the Moon at the same time.

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: 42 minutes
Release Date: April 7, 2026

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Solar Eclipse at The Moon | NASA Artemis II Mission

Solar Eclipse at The Moon | NASA Artemis II Mission

Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew’s perspective, the Moon appears large enough to completely block the Sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and extending the view far beyond what is possible from Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun’s outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness. Also visible are stars, typically too faint to see when imaging the Moon, but with the Moon in darkness stars are readily imaged. This unique vantage point provides both a striking visual and a valuable opportunity for astronauts to document and describe the corona during humanity’s return to deep space. The faint glow of the nearside of the Moon is visible in this image, having been illuminated by light reflected off the Earth.

A close-up view from the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, captures a total solar eclipse, with only part of the Moon visible in the frame as it fully obscures the Sun. Although the full lunar disk extends beyond the image, the Sun’s faint corona remains visible as a soft halo of light around the Moon’s edge. From this deep-space vantage point, the Moon appeared large enough to sustain nearly 54 minutes of totality, far longer than total solar eclipses typically seen from Earth. This cropped perspective emphasizes the scale of the alignment and reveals subtle structure in the corona during the rare, extended eclipse observed by the crew. The bright silver glint on the left edge of the image is the planet Venus. The round, dark gray feature visible along the Moon’s horizon between the 9 and 10 o’clock positions is Mare Crisium, a feature visible from Earth. We see faint lunar features because light reflected off of Earth provides a source of illumination.

Captured from the Orion spacecraft near the end of the Artemis II lunar flyby on April 6, this image shows the Sun beginning to peek out from behind the Moon as the eclipse transitions out of totality. Only a portion of the Moon is visible in frame, its curved edge revealing a bright sliver of sunlight returning after nearly an hour of darkness.

In final moments of the eclipse observed by the crew, the reemerging light creates a sharp contrast against the Moon’s silhouette and reveals lunar topography not usually visible along the lunar limb.

This fleeting phase captures the dynamic alignment of the Sun, Moon, and spacecraft as Orion continues its journey back from the far side of the Moon.

The Artemis II crew—Mission Specialist Christina Koch (top left), Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (bottom left), Commander Reid Wiseman (bottom right), and Pilot Victor Glover (top right)—uses eclipse viewers, identical to what NASA produced for the 2023 annular eclipse and 2024 total solar eclipse, to protect their eyes at key moments during the solar eclipse they experienced during their lunar flyby. This was the first use of eclipse glasses at the Moon to safely view a solar eclipse.

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 they flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time. They also noted color, brightness and texture, providing clues that help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface. The crew witnessed an “Earthset”—the moment Earth dropped below the lunar horizon—as Orion traveled behind the Moon and an “Earthrise” as the spacecraft emerged from the opposite edge of the Moon.

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.

Scientists already are looking forward to the images, along with the many others taken during the flyby. After the lunar data is downlinked from the spacecraft overnight, scientists will look at images, audio, and other data to determine better times and locations of the flashes and seek input from amateurs who were observing the Moon at the same time.

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
Date: April 6, 2026

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

Earth & Moon Views | NASA Artemis II Mission

Earth & Moon Views | NASA Artemis II Mission

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. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region.

In the foreground, Ohm crater has terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Central peaks form in complex craters when the lunar surface, liquefied on impact, splashes upwards during the crater’s formation.

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.

In this photo, the dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime, while Australia and Oceania are in the daylight. In the foreground, the Ohm crater is visible, with terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Peaks such as these form in complex craters when the lunar surface is liquified on impact, and the liquefied surface splashes upward during the crater’s formation. 

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 the Moon and lost contact with Earth for 40 minutes before emerging on the other side.

In this image, the dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime, while on its day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region. In the foreground, Ohm crater shows terraced edges and a relatively flat floor marked by central peaks—formed when the surface rebounded upward during the impact that created the crater. 

Our planet draws closer to passing behind the Moon in this image captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby, about six minutes before Earthset. Earth is in a crescent phase, with sunlight coming from the right. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over muted blue in the Australia and Oceania region. 

Earth sets at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, over the Moon’s curved limb in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew during their journey around the far side of the Moon. Orientale basin is perched on the edge of the visible lunar surface. Hertzsprung Basin appears as two subtle concentric rings, which are interrupted by Vavilov, a younger crater superimposed over the older structure. The lines of indentations are secondary crater chains formed by ejecta from the massive impact that created Orientale.

The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region.

Earthrise captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 7:22 p.m. ET during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon’s far side. Earth appears as a delicate crescent, with only its upper edge illuminated. The planet’s soft blue hue and scattered white cloud systems stand out against the blackness of space, while the lower portion fades into night.

Taken with a 400 mm lens, the image, Earthrise, reveals a striking alignment of Earth and Moon, with the Moon in the top foreground and the Earth below. Along the lunar horizon, rugged terrain is silhouetted against the bright crescent Earth. Both bodies are oriented with their north poles to the left and south poles to the right, offering a unique perspective of our home planet from deep space. This photo was rotated 90 degrees clockwise for standard viewing orientation.

Earth appears tiny as the Moon looms large in this photo taken by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026.

Taken 36 minutes before Earthset, our home planet is visible in the blackness of space off the limb of the illuminated Moon. Earth is in a crescent phase, with sunlight coming from the right. Orientale mare basin, with its dark floor of cooled lava and outer rings of mountains, covers nearly the lower third of the imaged lunar surface. Different colors in the mare hint at its mineral composition. The lines of small indentations above Orientale are secondary crater chains, formed by material ejected during a violent primary impact. Both of the new craters that the Artemis II crew has suggested names for – Integrity and Carroll—are in full view.

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. 

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 they flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time. They also noted color, brightness and texture, providing clues that help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface. The crew witnessed an “Earthset”—the moment Earth dropped below the lunar horizon—as Orion traveled behind the Moon and an “Earthrise” as the spacecraft emerged from the opposite edge of the Moon.

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.

Scientists already are looking forward to the images, along with the many others taken during the flyby. After the lunar data is downlinked from the spacecraft overnight, scientists will look at images, audio, and other data to determine better times and locations of the flashes and seek input from amateurs who were observing the Moon at the same time.

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
Date: April 6, 2026

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

Moon Rocket Core Stage Separation: Camera View | NASA Mission

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Core Stage Separation: Camera View

[No audio] Eight minutes into the flight of NASA’s Artemis II Mission, the core stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket successfully separated from the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) and the Orion spacecraft. This ascent milestone marks the end of the first major propulsion phase of the Artemis II mission and the transition to upper‑stage operations. Separation takes place four minutes and 13 seconds into the video. This view comes from a camera on Orion’s solar array wing #4.

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: 5 minutes
Date: April 1, 2026

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

Moon Science: Tycho Crater | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

Moon Science: Tycho Crater | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

An in-depth look at the ~85 km diameter Tycho crater and its impact on our understanding of lunar geology. Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands of the Moon's near side, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). It is estimated to be 108 million years old.  It is one of the Moon's brightest craters with a depth of 4,700 m (15,400 ft).

Tycho's features are so steep and sharp because the crater is young by lunar standards. Over time, micrometeorites, and not so micro meteorites, will grind and erode these steep slopes into smooth mountains.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

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New Moon Craters Identified | NASA Artemis II Mission

New Moon Craters Identified | NASA Artemis II Mission

The Artemis II crew described two small, unnamed craters on the heavily pockmarked lunar surface. Calling down to Earth, they suggested provisional names for them. Just northwest of Orientale basin, highlighted above, is a crater they would like to name Integrity after their spacecraft and this historic mission. Just northeast of the Integrity crater, on the near and far side boundary, and sometimes visible from Earth, the crew suggested an unnamed crater be designated "Carroll" in honor of Reid Weisman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. She passed away on May 17, 2020. After this mission is complete, the crater name proposals will be formally submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), an organization that governs the naming of celestial bodies and their surface features.

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 6, 2026

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

Moon Science: Why It Matters | NASA Artemis II Mission

Moon Science: Why It Matters | NASA Artemis II Mission

The Artemis II crew of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen have set the record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by a human mission, surpassing the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles set in 1970. 

Due to last approximately seven hours, the Artemis II crew's lunar observation period is the duration of time that the crew is close enough to the Moon to make science observations (4,070 miles altitude at closest approach) and the spacecraft is oriented such that the windows are pointed at the Moon. 

Kelsey Young is a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center lunar scientist, at Johnson Space Center's Mission Control in Houston, Texas, supporting the Artemis II astronauts during their flyby of the Moon. She has been answering their questions and helping them prepare for observations and photographs of the lunar surface during their flyby.

Learn more about Artemis Science:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis-science/

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 Goddard

Duration: 2 minutes
Date: April 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisScience #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ChristinaKoch #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #JeremyHansen #CSA #Canada #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #KelseyYoung #Scientists #NASAGoddard #GSFC #Greenbelt #Maryland #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

[No audio] On June 10, 2011 the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft slewed 65° to the west, allowing the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to capture this dramatic sunrise view of Tycho Crater in low-sun lighting and long shadows. A very popular target with amateur astronomers, Tycho is located at 43.37°S, 348.68°E, and is ~82 km (51 miles) in diameter. The summit of the central peak is 2 km (6562 ft) above the crater floor, and the crater floor is about 4700 m (15,420 ft) below the rim.

Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands of the Moon's near side, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). It is estimated to be 108 million years old.  It is one of the Moon's brightest craters with a diameter of 85 km (53 mi) and a depth of 4,700 m (15,400 ft).

Tycho's features are so steep and sharp because the crater is young by lunar standards. Over time, micrometeorites, and not so micro meteorites, will grind and erode these steep slopes into smooth mountains.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Video Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Duration: 1 minute

Text Credit: Mark Robinson 
Date: June 29, 2011

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #TychoCrater #LunarBoulders #LunarCraterCentralPeaks #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Tycho Crater's Central Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Oblique view of summit area of Tycho Crater central peak. The boulder in the background is 120 meters wide, and the image is about 1200 meters wide.

Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique view of Tycho Crater, highlights the summit area of this image. The central peak complex is about 15 km wide southeast to northwest (left to right in this view).

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) mosaic of Tycho Crater with lighting similar to that when the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique image was taken. Mosaic is 130 km wide, north is up.

Vertical view of Tycho central peak summit showing same 120 m wide boulder

Topographic model of Tycho Crater derived from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) stereo images, same area as shown in Wide Angle Camera (WAC) mosaic above

On June 10, 2011 the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft slewed 65° to the west, allowing the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to capture this dramatic sunrise view of Tycho Crater in low-sun lighting and long shadows. A very popular target with amateur astronomers, Tycho is located at 43.37°S, 348.68°E, and is ~82 km (51 miles) in diameter. The summit of the central peak is 2 km (6562 ft) above the crater floor, and the crater floor is about 4700 m (15,420 ft) below the rim. Many "clasts" ranging in size from 10 meters to 100s of meters are exposed in the central peak slopes. Were these distinctive outcrops formed as a result of crushing and deformation of the target rock as the peak grew? Or do they represent preexisting rock layers that were brought intact to the surface? Imagine future geologists carefully making their way across these steep slopes, sampling a mixture of rocks brought up from depth.

Tycho is a prominent lunar impact crater located in the southern lunar highlands of the Moon's near side, named after the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). It is estimated to be 108 million years old.  It is one of the Moon's brightest craters, with a diameter of 85 km (53 mi) and a depth of 4,700 m (15,400 ft).

Tycho's features are so steep and sharp because the crater is young by lunar standards. Over time, micrometeorites, and not so micro meteorites, will grind and erode these steep slopes into smooth mountains.

Another NAC pair acquired on May 27, 2010, gives an excellent straight down view of the summit, including the large boulder featured. Also note the fractured impact melt deposit that surrounds the boulder. And the smooth area on top of the boulder, is that also frozen impact melt? These LROC images clearly show that the central peak formed very quickly. The peak was there when impact melt that was thrown straight up during the impact came back down. Or did the melt get there by a different mechanism? The fractures probably formed over time as the steep walls of the central peak slowly eroded and slipped downhill. Eventually the peak will erode back such that the big boulder will meet its demise as it slides 2000 meters to the crater floor.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Text Credit: Mark Robinson 
Date: June 29, 2011

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #TychoCrater #LunarBoulders #LunarCraterCentralPeaks #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

Moon Science: Tsiolkovskiy Crater's Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Tsiolkovskiy Crater's Peak | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

A Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique image of the central peak of Tsiolkovskiy Crater. The image is approximately 25 km in diameter, and the central peak rises ~3400 m above the crater floor. North points left.

On the left, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Wide Angle Camera (WAC) monochrome mosaic centered at 120 degrees East longitude. On the right, LROC WAC context image of Tsiolkovskiy crater.

This image is a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) oblique view looking East at the central peak of Tsiolkovskiy Crater. This large impact crater, with a diameter of 185 km, is located on the farside at 20.38°S latitude and 128.97°E longitude. It is classified as a complex crater because of its terraced walls, scalloped rim, and central peak that rises over 3400 meters (11,150 ft) from the crater floor. Named for Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Tsiolkovskiy Crater lies in the southern hemisphere, to the west of the large crater Gagarin, and northwest of Milne. Just to the south is Waterman, with Neujmin to the south-southwest.

Central peaks of craters form in a matter of seconds from very energetic impact events. The tremendous pressure imparted from the impactor on to the target rock causes it to behave like a plastic for a few brief seconds. An imperfect analogy is a water droplet splashing into water, at first which produces a central jet, the fluid-like behavior of rock after the impact causes it to rebound upwards. Another factor assisting in the uplift of a central peak is the gravitational collapse of the crater walls which pushes material in the center upwards.

The floor of Tsiolkovskiy crater is partially flooded by mare basalt. This is the low reflectance smooth material seen here. The mare basalt on the floor of Tsiolkovskiy crater formed from basaltic lava that erupted after the crater formed and pooled. Mare basalts are predominantly seen on the lunar nearside. They make up the dark plains we are familiar with when we look at the Moon. This uneven distribution of mare basalts is thought to be due to variations between the crustal thickness on the nearside and farside. The nearside crust is thinner, allowing easier access for basalt to flow up to the surface, whereas the thicker crust on the farside makes it so that only large impacts, like the one that formed Tsiolkovskiy crater, have enough energy to excavate deep enough into the crust to allow the release of basaltic lava.

These images were captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

Text Credit: Raquel Nuno
Date: Nov. 19, 2013

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #TsiolkovskiyCrater #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #NASAGoddard #GSFC #ASU #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education

Counting Craters on The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

Counting Craters on The Moon | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (2009-2026)

Using the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA), NASA scientists have created the first-ever comprehensive catalog of large craters on the moon. In this animation, lunar craters larger than 20km in diameter "light up" using LOLA elevation data. Craters light up in an east to west (Tranquillitatis toward Orientale) sweep around the Moon. 

These visualizations were created from data gathered by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft (2009-2026).

LRO has made a 3-D map of the Moon's surface at 100-meter resolution and 98.2% coverage (excluding polar areas in deep shadow), including 0.5-meter resolution images of Apollo landing sites.

LRO has been studying the Moon from up close since 2009, making it the longest-lived lunar orbiting mission ever. The orbiter has mapped the Moon’s surface and measured its temperature, composition, and radiation environment in unprecedented detail. Data from LRO enables NASA, and our international and commercial partners, to select locations on the lunar surface where spacecraft and astronauts can safely land. The orbiter is also helping NASA identify areas near the Moon’s South Pole with crucial resources like water and extended sunlight that provides power for equipment and supports exploration activities.

Learn more about LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Video Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Duration: 52 seconds
Release Date: Sept. 16, 2010

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #OrientaleBasin #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #GSFC #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Full View of Moon's Orientale Basin: Far Side | NASA Artemis II Mission

Full View of Moon's Orientale Basin: Far Side | NASA Artemis II Mission

In this fully illuminated view of the Moon, the near side (the hemisphere we see from Earth), is visible on the right. It is identifiable by the dark splotches that cover its surface. These are ancient lava flows from a time early in the Moon’s history when it was volcanically active. The large crater west of the lava flows is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon’s near and far sides. Orientale's left half is not visible from Earth, but in this image we have a full view of the crater. Everything to the left of the crater is the far side, the hemisphere we do not get to see from Earth because the Moon rotates on its axis at the same rate that it orbits round us.

The Orientale Basin, located on the far side of the Moon, is a massive, multi-ringed impact structure formed about 3.8 billion years ago during the Late Heavy Bombardment. It is the youngest and best-preserved of the Moon's large impact basins, measuring roughly 950 kilometers (about 590 miles) across. The basin's three concentric rings, formed by a massive asteroid impact, provide critical data on how massive impacts shaped the early solar system. The Orientale Basin is also significant for its gravity anomalies.

Watch live coverage of the Artemis II lunar flyby on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and Roku beginning at 1 p.m. EDT, alongside NASA’s 24/7 coverage on its YouTube channel.
https://www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/

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
Date: April 6, 2026

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Moon Science: Orientale Peaks & Valleys | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Moon Science: Orientale Peaks & Valleys | NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Oblique view of the interior of the Orientale basin. Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images M1124173129L & R, image centered at 24.23°S, 264.30°E, scene width is approximately 16 km and the cliff at center is 1.7 km high

A reduced-resolution version, wider picture of the oblique view of Orientale's interior.

Wide Angle Camera (WAC) context view of a portion of southwestern Orientale basin showing the approximate location (white box) of Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images

With an estimated age of around 3.8 billion years, and a diameter of over 900 km, the Orientale basin is the youngest of the large lunar impact basins. Its interior is relatively well preserved and its floor has not been completely buried under mare basalts, making it one of the most studied basins on the lunar surface in the hopes of unraveling the mechanics of multi-ring basin formation and the relationships of volcanic infilling to large basins. This image shows highlights of the more interesting and complex features inside the southwestern portion of the basin, where primary features related to the basin itself meet the later-forming mare basalts in the basin floor.

The striking linear features seen in the top image are portions of a series of cracks that are near-radial to the basin and are unlike typical lunar graben. This portion of the interior is thought to have a high proportion of material that was melted by the extreme shock pressures of the impact event that crated the Orientale basin, and the cracks may have formed as the hot material, draped over underlying topography, cooled and shrank. It is hard to picture the effects of an impact so large it would have obliterated the state of Texas, but here you can almost see the molten and shifting terrain settling and cracking.

You can also get a sense of how basaltic lavas, the lower-reflectance deposits seen at bottom right, poured in later, flooding low areas, lapping up against the higher-standing terrain, and leaving kipukas of original basin material exposed in places. These lavas are estimated to have erupted on the order of 100 million years after the formation of the Orientale basin, but were not as voluminous as the basalts that bury all but the rims of other lunar multi-ring basins, such as Serenitatis and Imbrium. The WAC image mosaic of the region helps put these features into context. You can see the Orientale mare deposits lie largely within the innermost ring of the basin, the Inner Rook mountains.

Why did these basalts fill regions largely contained within only the innermost ring of Orientale, whereas other basins were totally flooded? Orientale may have formed in a region of thicker crust, making it harder for basalts to erupt from the mantle to the surface anywhere but the center of the basin, where the crust was thinned the most. The composition of Orientale's basalts is also known to be distinct from the major nearside maria with its lower concentration of radioactive heat-producing elements (known as KREEP), so there may have been less heat available to melt the mantle to produce basalts.

This interplay of spectacular, complex features related to basin formation and later volcanic eruptions means Orientale is a high-priority target for exploration. Samples would pin down the exact age of the basin, important for answering questions about chronology across the Solar System, as well as answer a host of other questions about basin formation and evolution.

This year, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) celebrates its 17th anniversary orbiting the Moon (2009-2026). This mission has given scientists the largest volume of data ever collected by a planetary science mission at NASA. Considering that success and the continuing functionality of the spacecraft and its instruments, NASA awarded the mission an extended mission phase to continue operations. LRO continues to be one of NASA's most valuable tools for advancing lunar science.

Learn more about NASA's LRO:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro/

Image Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University
Text Credit: Brett Denevi
Release Date: July 16, 2013

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Geology #Geoscience #Volcanism #ImpactCraters #OrientaleBasin #LRO #LunarOrbiter #LROC #NAC #WAC #SpaceRobotics #SpaceTechnology #GSFC #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education