The crew of the Artemis II mission has moved closer to the Moon than to Earth. Astronauts can already observe the natural satellite from aboard the spacecraft.
This was reported by NASA on the social network X.
The agency noted that on the third day of the flight, the Artemis II crew reached a point where the distance to the Moon became shorter than to Earth.
“We can see the Moon out of the docking hatch right now. It’s a beautiful sight,” the statement said.
"We can see the Moon out of the docking hatch right now. It's a beautiful sight."
— NASA (@NASA) April 4, 2026
Flight day 3 is in the books, and our @NASAArtemis II crew is now closer to the Moon than to Earth. Check out highlights from our lunar mission. What’s been your favorite moment so far? pic.twitter.com/mIF343JyX3
Artemis II is the first crewed mission of the Artemis program, under which NASA plans to return humans to the Moon. The flight follows a trajectory around Earth’s natural satellite without landing on its surface.
This is also the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft beyond low Earth orbit in decades. The mission aims to test life support, navigation, and safety systems ahead of future astronaut landings on the Moon.