NASA's Artemis II returns after record 406770km flight
NASA's Artemis II just wrapped up a historic trip, traveling farther from Earth than any crew since 1972.
The Orion capsule splashed down safely in the Pacific near San Diego on April 10, after reaching a farthest distance from Earth of 406770km during a mission that covered about 1102398km, beating even Apollo 13's 248,655-mile mark.
Artemis II sets firsts, names crater
This mission set some amazing firsts: Christina Koch became the first woman to fly to the moon, Victor Glover was the first nonwhite astronaut on a lunar journey, and Jeremy Hensen was the first non-American to see the moon up close.
In a touching moment, the crew named a lunar crater after Cmdr. Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll.
Artemis II paves the way for an actual moon landing with Artemis IV in 2028, and even bigger dreams like Mars missions in the 2030s.