Artemis II arrived in lunar space early Monday morning, becoming the first crewed mission to do so since Apollo 17 in December 1972, according to research from six sources. The Orion capsule entered the moon's sphere of influence at 12:37 a.m. EDT on Monday, multiple reports indicate. During the flyby, Orion zoomed about 4,000 miles above the lunar surface, with the maneuver peaking at around 7 p.m. EDT, according to research.
Artemis II will not land on the Moon, but will instead take a crew of four astronauts around the far side of the Moon and back again, research shows. The crew is comprised of Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, according to multiple reports. While the astronauts did not touch down on the Moon, the mission paves the way for a future lunar landing and also lays the foundation to send a crew to Mars, Aftonbladet reports.
The Artemis 2 moon flyby began at 1:30 p.m. EDT, with NASA's livestream starting at 1 p.m. ET, research indicates. As the astronauts passed behind the Moon at about 23:47 BST on Monday, they lost contact with Earth for about 40 minutes, according to research from two sources. The record distance from Earth of 252,756 miles was achieved during a seven-hour lunar flyby which included a 40-minute communication blackout as they passed around the far side of the Moon from Earth, Aftonbladet reports.
NASA has 10 science objectives and 35 different targets for the Artemis 2 crew to aim for during the flyby, according to Artemis 2 lunar science lead Kelsey Young. The Artemis 2 crew worked in shifts over the duration of the 7-hour flyby, research shows. During the flyby, the crew used professional cameras to take detailed photos of the moon's surface, usually hidden from view, and enjoy the rare sight of their distant home planet, Aftonbladet reports.
The space leadership you spoke of, from America, is truly extraordinary. I've said this many times before. A nation that leads like that, creates and sets big goals for humanity and brings other countries along with it is truly incredible.
Before launch, a faulty toilet and issues involving two safety systems threatened to ground the Artemis II mission, according to research from two sources. Astronaut Christina Koch reportedly acted as a plumber, dismantling parts of the toilet under instruction from mission control, the same research indicates. NASA has spent more than $23 million developing the 'Universal Waste Management System', while the flight termination system had a communications issue resolved by using hardware from the previous Space Shuttle programme, and the launch abort system gave a higher-than-expected temperature reading that was judged not to affect the launch.
The 'rollout' of the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and the Orion module took place on Saturday 17 January 2026, research shows. This rollout took about 12 hours to complete the four-mile journey, according to multiple reports. The first wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II took place on 2 February 2026, the same research indicates.
During the mission, Artemis II has suffered issues with a delay in fuelling caused by cold weather, then liquid hydrogen leak problems with a valve associated with pressurisation of the Orion crew module capsule, research shows. Engineers have been troubleshooting dropouts in audio communication among the ground teams, according to multiple reports.
After Trump's second presidency began in early 2025, the White House proposed a 24% cut to the NASA budget to $18.8 billion, research indicates. Congress passed an almost fully funded budget of $24.4 billion in January, according to multiple reports. On 3 April, Trump unveiled his 2027 NASA budget request with a 23% reduction, the same research shows.
I know that's a very intentional, not necessary, decision to lead by example and to allow other countries, like Canada, to share our gifts and help you achieve these mutually beneficial goals, like establishing a presence on the moon and potentially going to Mars. Canadians are so proud to be a part of this program.
President Donald Trump spoke with the Artemis II crew on Monday evening to congratulate them, according to major media. During the call, Trump stunned Artemis II's Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen by sharing praise from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, telling the crew he had spoken to Gretzky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who were proud of them, major media reports. Hansen, the only Canadian in the crew, grabbed the microphone to answer one of Trump's questions about the mission and then took a moment to thank him on behalf of Canada, according to major media. There was a slight delay but when the crew heard Trump's response they immediately started smiling and Hansen was nodding his head in delight, major media reports.
At the time of entering the moon's sphere of influence, the capsule was about 39,000 miles from the moon and 232,000 miles from Earth, research shows. Artemis II is using the same manoeuvre that Apollo 13 did after its famous 'Houston, we have had a problem' incident, when an oxygen tank explosion ended hope of a moon landing and became a fight for survival, Aftonbladet reports. Using the Moon's gravity for a 'free' return journey, it will take the crew four days to get back, with a splashdown in the Pacific on Friday, according to the same source.
At the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, a huge antenna has been collecting signals from the Orion capsule, research from two sources indicates. This ground station support has been crucial for maintaining communication during critical mission phases.
The crew, which includes commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, have now started their journey home after creating history on their pass behind the Moon, according to major media. Their return marks the completion of the lunar flyby phase of this historic mission.
Before the flyby, Hansen said: 'It is blowing my mind what you can see with the naked eye from the Moon right now. It is just unbelievable'.
There is a discrepancy regarding the closest point to the moon during the Artemis II flyby. Research from six sources indicates Orion zoomed about 4,000 miles above the lunar surface during the flyby. However, during the blackout, the crew reached their closest point to the Moon at 4,067 miles, according to major media. This discrepancy affects the precise understanding of the mission's technical achievement and trajectory details.
The specific science objectives and targets NASA set for the Artemis II crew during the flyby have not been detailed beyond the numerical counts provided by mission officials. The current status and timeline for the future lunar landing and Mars missions that Artemis II is paving the way for remain unspecified.
The detailed technical issues and resolutions for the faulty toilet, flight termination system, and launch abort system before launch have not been fully disclosed. The exact words Trump used when he claimed to have rescued NASA from closing down during his first presidency are not recorded in available statements.
What specific praise hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shared about the Artemis II mission remains unknown. Trump stunned Artemis II's Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen by sharing some praise from Gretzky, telling the crew he had spoken to Gretzky and Carney, who were proud of them, major media reports. According to major media, there was a slight delay but when the crew heard Trump's response they immediately started smiling and Hansen was nodding his head in delight.