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April 7, 2026

Artemis II performs closest moon flyby amid communication loss

The Orion spacecraft, carrying three NASA astronauts and a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, performed its long-awaited lunar flyby

Artemis II performs closest moon flyby amid communication loss

TL;DR

  • The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis II mission have ventured farther from Earth than any humans before.
  • The Orion spacecraft performed a lunar flyby, coming within 4,070 miles of the lunar surface.
  • Mission Control experienced a 40-minute communication blackout as the Moon blocked signals.
  • The crew photographed and observed the lunar far side, including the Orientale basin.
  • The mission broke the 56-year-old record set by Apollo 13, surpassing 248,655 miles.
  • The flyby is a crucial test for NASA's future lunar landing preparations.

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