NASA Artemis II crew to break Apollo 13 distance record

The NASA Artemis II mission is on its way to create a new record, aiming to exceed the distance travelled by Apollo 13 astronauts who flew to space in 1970. The Orion spacecraft carries astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen to test essential systems which will support upcoming moon missions.

The Orion spacecraft will complete its mission on April 6 by travelling behind the Moon to achieve a distance of 252,021 miles from Earth, which exceeds the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles set in 1970.

NASA Artemis II mission updates

The mission tests vital systems needed for upcoming lunar landings while creating stunning Earth views from deep space.

The Artemis II crew will follow a free-return trajectory which brings them back to Earth after their moon flyby. The astronauts will reach their closest point to the Moon when they travel 4,600 miles beyond its far side.

NASA Artemis II Mission Director Jim Free said, “This flight is a major step in demonstrating Artemis capabilities for crewed lunar exploration.” The new maximum distance exceeds Apollo 13 by around 3,366 miles, which creates a historic milestone in human spaceflight.

During their first video message the astronauts showed the beautiful Earth images which can be seen from deep space. NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman said, “You can see the entire globe from pole to pole. The event stopped all four of us from continuing our activities.

Victor Glover added, “Trust us; you look amazing,” highlighting Earth’s beauty from orbit. Christina Koch shared light-hearted moments, including fixing Orion’s jammed $30 million toilet, joking, “I’m proud to call myself the space plumber.”

The crew’s fifth member is Rise, a moon-themed plushie designed by 8-year-old Lucas Ye, inspired by Apollo 8’s famous Earthrise image. Glover used the floating toy as a playful zero-gravity signal, bringing humour to the historic mission.