Artemis II Crew Surpasses Apollo 13 Record for Greatest Distance from Earth

The crew of the Artemis II mission set a new all-time record for the greatest distance from Earth by a crewed spacecraft on April 6, 2026, reaching 406,771 kilometers and surpassing the previous record held by the Apollo 13 mission since 1970. The four astronauts — NASA's Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — spent six hours studying the far side of the Moon before their Orion capsule, named Integrity, passed behind the lunar far side and lost radio contact with Earth for approximately 40 minutes. When communication was restored, mission specialist Christina Koch became the first voice heard from the crew.

„It's great to hear Earth again.” — Christina Koch via PAP

„We will always choose Earth, we will always choose each other.” — Christina Koch via PAP

The previous record for the greatest distance traveled from Earth by a crewed spacecraft was set in April 1970 during the Apollo 13 mission, when an oxygen tank explosion forced the crew to abort a planned lunar landing after 56 hours of flight. The mission was ultimately described as a "successful failure" because the crew returned safely despite the catastrophe. Artemis II is the first crewed expedition to the vicinity of the Moon since the Apollo program concluded. The mission launched on the night of April 1 to 2, 2026, Polish time, from Kennedy Space Center. Jim Lovell, who commanded Apollo 13 and also flew on Apollo 8, died in August 2025 at the age of 97, according to reporting by BBC and Reuters.

Astronauts name craters, witness meteoroid strikes During the six hours spent over the Moon's unlit hemisphere, the crew observed phenomena impossible to see from Earth, including the Earthrise and Earthset phenomena and live light flashes caused by meteoroid impacts on the lunar surface. Mission commander Reid Wiseman described the views through the spacecraft windows as "completely spectacular and surreal," saying he lacked the adjectives to convey what the crew was witnessing. Using their unique vantage point, the astronauts assigned working names to two previously unnamed lunar craters. The first crater was named "Integrity," after the Orion spacecraft itself. The second was named "Carroll," in memory of Reid Wiseman's wife, who died of cancer in 2020. Jeremy Hansen, speaking about the naming with evident emotion, described the Carroll crater as a "bright spot on the Moon."

„It is a bright spot on the Moon.” — Jeremy Hansen via wpolityce.pl

Trump calls crew, Lovell's recorded voice crosses the void After communication was restored, U.S. President Donald Trump contacted the Artemis II crew by radio to congratulate them on the milestone. Trump told the astronauts they had made history and made "all of America truly proud," adding that "humanity has never seen anything like what you are doing." He also asked each crew member individually what they felt during the communication blackout. Astronaut Victor Glover replied that he "said a short prayer" before continuing his observations of the lunar far side, adding that the period of isolation was "actually quite nice." The crew also carried aboard a pre-recorded message from the late Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 and Apollo 8, who died in August 2025 at the age of 97, according to NASA.

„Welcome to my old neighborhood. This is a historic day and I know how busy you will be, but don't forget to enjoy the views. Good luck!” — Jim Lovell via pb.pl

„Today you made history and made all of America truly proud, incredibly proud.” — Donald Trump via Rzeczpospolita

Splashdown set for Friday, heat shield test looms The crew has already begun the return journey to Earth, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026. Experts have cautioned that the mission's most critical phase still lies ahead. Rafał Grabiański, speaking on TOK FM's radio program from the astronomy service Urania.edu.pl, said the atmospheric re-entry and heat shield test would be the defining moments of the mission. Hansen, speaking from the vicinity of the Moon, called on "current and future generations to ensure that this record does not last long." Artemis II serves as a dress rehearsal for a planned human landing on the lunar surface in 2028, making its safe return a prerequisite for that next step in the program.

„What can be seen now with the naked eye from the Moon is stunning to me. It is simply unbelievable.” — Jeremy Hansen via pb.pl

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