Nasa has released the first photographs from its Artemis II mission, offering a breathtaking view of Earth as the astronauts race toward the moon, marking humanity’s first journey beyond Earth orbit in more than five decades. The images showcase our blue planet’s radiant beauty as the crew approaches their lunar flyby.Downlinked Friday, just 1½ days into the mission, the photos reveal Earth in striking detail from the Orion spacecraft’s windows. They were captured by Nasa astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman after the crew completed the translunar injection burn that set them on course for the moon.
Photo credit: Nasa
One image shows a curved slice of Earth framed against the blackness of space, with two auroras visible at the top right and bottom left.Another shows the full globe, the deep blue oceans laced with swirling white clouds and a green aurora glowing along the planet’s edge. Zodiacal light, sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust, is also visible as the Earth eclipses the Sun.
Photo credit: Nasa
“It’s great to think that with the exception of our four friends, all of us are represented in this image,” said Lakiesha Hawkins, an exploration systems leader at Nasa, on the significance of the Earth imagery. She added that the mission continues to proceed smoothly, AP reported.
Photo credit: Nasa
Nasa also shared a side-by-side comparison of the 2026 view with a similar image captured by the Apollo 17 team in 1972—the last time humans walked on the Moon. “We’ve come so far in the last 54 years, but one thing hasn’t changed: our home looks gorgeous from space!” NASA wrote.As of Saturday, the Artemis II mission is about halfway to the Moon. When the astronauts arrive, they will conduct a lunar flyby and collect scientific observations of the Moon’s surface, helping scientists gather valuable data about our nearest celestial neighbor, Nasa said in a post on X.The four-person crew will swing around the moon in their Orion capsule, execute a U‑turn and then head back to Earth. This mission will not include a lunar landing, but will test systems critical for future deep‑space exploration.Artemis II was launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B atop Nasa’s Space Launch System rocket on Wednesday. The mission is a key step in Nasa’s Artemis program, aimed at sustainable lunar exploration and laying groundwork for eventual human missions to Mars.After Mission Control adjusted the Orion’s orientation, the entire Earth, complete with northern lights filling the spacecraft windows, greeted the crew. “It was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks,” Wiseman said in a TV interview.
