Artemis II to reach 406777km, break Apollo 13 record
NASA's Artemis II crew is about to make history, flying past the moon for the first time in over five decades.
On Monday, April 6, 2026, they will enter the moon's gravity and surpass Apollo 13's distance record earlier in the day, reaching 406777km from Earth.
The team will also get a close look at about 35 different lunar features, helping scientists learn more about our closest neighbor.
Orion Integrity slips behind the moon
Their Orion spacecraft, called Integrity, will slip behind the moon at 6:47pm meaning a short blackout with no contact back home.
It will hit its farthest point from Earth at nearly 407163km and give the crew a front-row seat to a solar eclipse as the moon blocks out the sun.
Even with some technical hiccups on board, NASA engineers are working hard to keep things running smoothly for astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.