In a moment that feels both historic and deeply human, NASA has released a striking image of the Moon taken by the Artemis II crew as they journey around Earth’s closest celestial neighbour. The photograph offers a rare look at a feature long hidden from view, the full expanse of the Orientale Basin.
Shared on Sunday, the image reveals the massive basin along the right edge of the lunar disk, marking the first time it has been seen in its entirety by human eyes.
History in the making
In this new image from our @NASAArtemis II crew, you can see Orientale basin on the right edge of the lunar disk. This mission marks the first time the entire basin has been seen with human eyes. pic.twitter.com/iqjod6gqgz
— NASA (@NASA) April 5, 2026
A Mission Decades In The Making
The Artemis II mission carries four astronauts, Jeremy Hansen of Canada, alongside Americans Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch; aboard the Orion spacecraft. Their journey represents a major milestone: the first human voyage toward the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
This mission is not just about distance or technology. It is also about representation and progress. Koch is set to become the first woman to travel to the Moon, while Glover will be the first Black astronaut to make the journey.
As Orion moves steadily toward its destination, the crew is expected to reach the Moon by Monday, continuing a voyage that has already crossed its halfway mark.
Chasing The Moon’s Far Side
At its core, Artemis II aims to do something both simple and profound, capture images of the Moon’s far side, a region that remains largely unexplored by human observers.
The mission also breaks new ground in terms of distance. Orion is set to travel more than 252,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth, surpassing previous human spaceflight records before looping around the Moon and heading home without landing or entering lunar orbit.
The journey, which will span nearly 10 days, is scheduled to conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.
