Artemis II astronauts describe seeing the far side
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The Artemis II astronauts are already the champions of a fresh new era of lunar exploration. Now it’s time to set a new distance record.
The NASA astronauts also sent down Easter messages Sunday while gearing up for a historic pass behind the moon Monday.
The Artemis II astronauts, after saying goodbye to family and friends, were strapped into their seats aboard the Orion spacecraft by early afternoon, hours before the launch window opened at 6:24 p.m. Eastern time. As the astronauts sat, NASA continued with checks to ensure the safety of the crew before liftoff.
NASA's Artemis II will send four astronauts to circle the moon without landing on it. The mission will set the stage for a human moon landing in 2028.