Artemis's stunning Moon pictures - science or holiday photos?
The story behind the beautiful pictures beamed back to Earth from the Artemis II astronauts.
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Notable Quotes
"The value of the images coming back from Artemis and its crew is artistic, not scientific."
— Chris Lintott , Academic
"I knew that that is what we would see. But there’s nothing that prepares you for the breathtaking aspect of seeing your home planet both lit up bright as day and also the moon glow on it at night with a beautiful beam of the sunset and knowing that we’re going to get similar views of the moon."
— Christina Koch , Other
"Trust us, you look amazing. You look beautiful. From up here, you look like one thing. Homo sapiens is all of us – no matter where you’re from or what you look like. We’re all one people."
— Victor Glover , Other
"You can see the entire globe from pole to pole."
— Reid Weisman , Academic
"Trust us; you look amazing."
— Victor Glover , Other
"I'm proud to call myself the space plumber."
— Christina Koch , Other
"extraordinary things"
— Christina Koch , Other
""For me, it was some sort of burning odor, and then it was definitely in the hygiene bay.""
— Jeremy Hansen , Other
""the kind of burning heater smell," something that Hansen also confirmed."
— Christina Koch , Other
""We were all eagerly awaiting the chorus.""
— Reid Wiseman , Other
Key People
Chris Lintott is a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford.
NASA astronaut also part of the Artemis 2 mission.
Astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency who flew on Artemis 2.
NASA astronaut who is part of the Artemis II mission.
NASA astronaut who flew on the Artemis 2 mission.
NASA astronaut who participated in the Artemis 2 mission.
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All Coverage
The story behind the beautiful pictures beamed back to Earth from the Artemis II astronauts.
As Artemis II astronauts approach the Moon, they've shared new photos capturing the lunar surface, including the Orientale basin, a region previously unseen by human eyes.
NASA has released a striking image from the Artemis II mission, showing Earth from space as the crew en route to the Moon. This marks a significant step in NASA's efforts to return humans to the Moon and further deep-space exploration.
As NASA's Artemis 2 mission reaches the halfway point to the Moon, the crew encountered a small issue: a burning smell emanating from the Orion spacecraft's toilet. The odor was quickly addressed, and the crew remains on track for their lunar flyby.
NASA’s Artemis II mission, launched on April 1, 2026, will stream high-resolution 4K footage from the Moon using cutting-edge laser communication technology. This advancement is made possible by the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications (O2O) system, which transmits data at speeds up to 260 Mbps.
A visual chronicle of the preparations for NASA's Artemis II mission, capturing key moments from astronaut training to spacecraft construction.
NASA has released the first images taken from inside the Artemis II Orion spacecraft, where four astronauts are currently travelling on a mission around the moon.
Two days into their historic Artemis II mission, the crew released their first video message from space, sharing awe-inspiring views of Earth from Orion spacecraft.
The Artemis II mission has captured stunning images of Earth that are rapidly going viral. Taken by commander Reid Wiseman aboard the Orion spacecraft on April 2, one particular photo stands out for showcasing both the northern and southern lights simultaneously—an extraordinarily rare sight.
NASA's Artemis II mission has released stunning new images of Earth taken from over 90,000 miles away as the spacecraft orbits the Moon.
NASA launched the Artemis II mission, marking a historic return to crewed lunar spaceflight for the first time since 1972.
On April 3, 2026, NASA released a breathtaking image taken by the Artemis 2 astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, showing Earth as a vibrant blue and white orb set against the blackness of space.
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