The first images from Artemis II reveal what the moon looks like just 7,000 km from the surface—and confirm that NASA is ready to return to Earth’s satellite.
NASA has finally released the first photos taken by the Artemis II astronauts, just after they completed 40 minutes of disconnection on the far side of the moon. Thanks to that moment, Earth has a new “selfie” taken from the far hemisphere of the satellite, an image reminiscent of the famous “Earthrise” photo captured by the crew of the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968.
The Orion spacecraft circled the moon and passed between 6,000 and 7,000 kilometers from its surface. That distance was enough for the crew to document the lunar topography with professional cameras and telephoto lenses. Although other astronauts have crossed over to the dark side before, this is the first visit with contemporary technology capable of recording details with such sharpness.
