Artemis II Crew Breaks Apollo Record, Returns to Earth — SkimNews
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- Artemis II crew completed a seven‑hour lunar flyby, breaking Apollo 13’s distance record by over 4,000 miles (252,756 miles/406,771 km from Earth) and set a free‑return trajectory toward a Pacific splashdown late Friday.
- Victor Glover became the first person of color to orbit the Moon.
- Christina Koch was the first woman to orbit the Moon.
- Jeremy Hansen was the first non‑American to orbit the Moon.
- NASA’s lunar science team reported “audible screams of delight” as the crew described solar eclipses, meteor‑strike flashes, and surface features.
- Kelsey Young said the crew’s observations “made a difference scientifically” and that “spirits are very high.”
- President Donald Trump called the crew “modern‑day pioneers” in a congratulatory call, praising their courage and inspiration.
Why it matters: The record‑breaking flyby validates NASA’s free‑return trajectory and supplies new lunar data, bolstering the agency’s roadmap toward a crewed Moon landing by 2028. It also shows the trajectory’s feasibility for future missions, giving confidence to NASA’s partners and the U.S. administration that the Artemis timeline is on track.
Ask SkimNews
