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Artemis II crew reflect on lunar flyby and Earth perspective

Astronauts returning from NASA's Artemis II lunar flyby described awe at the view of Earth, praised the teams behind the mission and said the flight advances plans for a future lunar landing.

Apr 12th 2026 · United States

Insights

  • Crew members said seeing Earth from lunar distance gave a powerful perspective on the planet's fragility.
  • They thanked international partners and industry teams for making the mission possible.
  • The flight demonstrated Orion and SLS capabilities for crewed lunar missions.
  • Astronauts said Artemis II lays operational groundwork for the planned Artemis III lunar landing.

Sources