Artemis II Crew Breaks Human Distance Record, Reaching 252,756 Miles from Earth

The Artemis II crew has shattered the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, reaching 252,756 miles during a historic lunar flyby, surpassing the Apollo 13 mark from 1970 by over 4,000 miles.^[1][2][3] NASA's four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—achieved this milestone on April 6, 2026, six days after launching aboard the Orion spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center on April 1.^[1][2] As reported by NASA, the record was first broken at 248,655 miles before peaking later that evening, with the crew hugging in celebration inside the capsule.^[1][3]

This feat marks the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, looping around the Moon's far side and offering unprecedented views.^[2][3] Astronauts experienced a tense 40-41 minute communication blackout with Earth as Orion passed behind the Moon, testing deep-space navigation and autonomy, according to mission updates.^[3] Glover became the first person of color to venture beyond low Earth orbit, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American, as noted in Space.com coverage.^[2] "Humans have probably not evolved to see what we’re seeing. It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing," one astronaut remarked, highlighting the profound lunar vistas, per Ars Technica.[3 from cluster]

The mission's success underscores NASA's Artemis program's momentum toward sustainable lunar exploration, building on the Space Launch System rocket's power to escape Earth orbit.^[1] Bloomberg Technology reports the crew is now heading home after viewing the Moon's far side, with splashdown planned for April 10 in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.[2 from cluster]^[3] Hansen emphasized the moment's significance, stating, "As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so honoring our predecessors... We choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived."^[2]

Artemis II's milestones matter for future deep-space travel, proving Orion's capabilities for longer journeys and international collaboration.^[1][2] Affected parties include the astronauts' families, NASA teams monitoring from Earth, and global space enthusiasts tracking via Hacker News discussions.[1 from cluster] Next steps involve a safe reentry after 10 days aloft, paving the way for Artemis III's planned lunar landing.[2 from cluster] This flyby not only revives human lunar ambitions but positions the Moon as a gateway for Mars exploration, as experts discuss on Bloomberg.[2 from cluster]