The Artemis II crew crossed the halfway point between Earth and the Moon on Saturday, marking a critical milestone in humanity's return to deep space after more than five decades. NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying four astronauts now sits 142,000 miles from Earth — closer to the Moon than to home.
Mission commander Reid Wiseman captured the first high-resolution images of Earth from the spacecraft, including a portrait titled "Hello, World" showing the Atlantic Ocean framed by atmospheric glow and green auroras at both poles. The images reveal Earth appearing upside down, with the western Sahara and Iberian Peninsula visible alongside eastern South America.
We can see the Moon out of the docking hatch right now, it is a beautiful sight
Christina Koch, Mission Specialist — NASA
The milestone occurred two days, five hours, and 24 minutes after the spacecraft blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Astronaut Christina Koch described the crew's collective expression of joy upon learning they had reached the midpoint of their journey.
The achievement follows a successful trans-lunar injection burn that propelled Orion out of Earth's orbit and onto its trajectory toward the Moon. This maneuver represents the first time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
BBC emphasizes the technical achievement and spectacular imagery, focusing on the milestone nature of the mission. Coverage highlights the crew's emotional responses and the significance of returning to deep space after five decades.
French coverage frames this as a historic moment in space exploration, emphasizing the international crew composition. RFI notes the technical constraints of the free-return trajectory and the mission's role in preparing for future lunar landings.