Stunning new photos taken by Artemis 2 astronauts show the interior of the Moon and Orion spacecraft, giving a glimpse into life in space as they approach another historic milestone.
An image of the protruding moon even captures part of the Vostok Basin, the first time humans have witnessed it, according to NASA. Only robotic imagers have witnessed this lunar region. Shadow Crater is 600 miles (965 kilometers) wide and is a critical transition region between the near and far sides of the moon.
NASA astronaut Christina Koch said astronauts’ first view of the far side of the moon, which is always facing away from Earth and rarely seen, was “absolutely spectacular.”
“There’s something about you that says, ‘This is not the moon I’m used to seeing,'” Koch said.
As the mission gets closer to the silvery sphere, images taken from inside the Orion capsule have shifted from merely highlighting the luminous wonders of Earth as seen from a cosmic perspective to refocusing the moon.
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Astronauts are more than halfway to the moon and the highly anticipated lunar flyby will take place on Monday, according to NASA.
The astronauts said that as the journey continued, the moon continued to appear larger through Orion’s window.
Cameras on the wings of Orion’s solar array show the moon in the distance on the second day of the mission. – NASA
Artemis 2’s images of Earth are equally stunning, showing a view of Earth that the human eye has not seen since the last time astronauts left Earth’s orbit during the Apollo era.
On the third day of the mission, Earth appeared in a crescent shape. – NASA
In NASA’s ongoing live broadcast of the mission, the astronauts also performed live on camera, giving people a glimpse into their lives in space.
NASA astronaut Christina Koch looks back on Earth. – NASA
In this new emerald-illuminated photo, most of the Orion spacecraft’s lights are turned off to avoid glare on the windows, allowing Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen to look out and take in the scenery.
Koch reads a book on a tablet while Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hanson looks out of a window in Orion. – NASA
Just like during the Artemis 1 mission in 2022, Artemis 2’s journey will include multiple selfie opportunities. The Orion spacecraft’s solar array wings are equipped with cameras that can capture high-resolution selfies, including those of the Moon or Earth.
The image was taken during the second day of a routine external inspection using the Orion camera, and also provides a unique view of the capsule in the space environment.
Orion took a selfie on the second day of the mission. – NASA
NASA’s Artemis program is sending humans into deep space for the first time in more than fifty years. Sign up for the Countdown newsletter and get the latest updates on extraordinary adventures from CNN Science.
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