Artemis II Crew Begins Return Journey After Setting Historic Lunar Records
Summary
The Artemis II crew has begun their journey back to Earth after setting a new lunar distance record and experiencing rare astronomical phenomena during their historic mission.
Key Points
- The Artemis II crew broke the lunar distance record previously set by Apollo 13 by traveling approximately 252,760 miles from Earth.
- Astronauts observed rare lunar features, a solar eclipse, and meteor impacts during the mission.
- The crew lost contact with Earth for about 40 minutes when the spacecraft passed behind the moon, marking the first such blackout in over 50 years.
- Significant milestones include the first Black astronaut, the first woman, and the first non-American to travel around the moon.
