NASA's Artemis II crew captures rare Earthset from lunar orbit

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen completed NASA’s Artemis II mission, becoming the farthest‑traveling humans from Earth. While the Orion capsule passed behind the Moon on April 6, the crew recorded a “Earthset” – the sunset of the planet as seen from lunar space – with an iPhone 17 Pro Max, later sharing the video and the phrase “Only one chance in this lifetime.”

The flight set a new distance record of 406,777 km, surpassing Apollo 13, and experienced a 40‑minute communications blackout when the spacecraft was out of range of the Deep Space Network. The crew sent a final message before losing contact, then restored communications after the blackout, marking the first time in over half a century that astronauts are completely cut off from Earth.

NASA highlighted the emotional impact of the view, noting the visibility of Africa, Europe and auroras, while emphasizing the mission’s role in advancing future lunar exploration and inspiring humanity.