Orion
-
NASA
NASA at the Ion: Orion Lessons from Artemis II Shape NASA’s Moon to Mars Path
Seven weeks after the Orion spacecraft returned four astronauts from humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon since Apollo, Artemis II Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez reflected on the mission’s achievements and how it is shaping NASA’s return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. Introduced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration Monte Goforth, Rodriguez spoke at the Ion in Houston on May 28 as…
Read More » -
NASA
I Am Artemis: Tim Goddard
At the end of their mission around the Moon, NASA’s Artemis II astronauts were recovered from their Orion spacecraft by a team of U.S. Navy divers and NASA personnel. This included Tim Goddard, NASA open water lead, who helped guide the complex open water recovery of both Orion and the crew members, once they safely splashed down in the Pacific…
Read More » -
NASA
I Am Artemis: Rebekah Tolatovicz
At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, there is a fleet of Orion spacecraft in work, and Rebekah Tolatovicz’s hands have helped build each one. Tolatovicz works to build, integrate, and test the spacecraft used during the Artemis II test flight, as well as those designed to carry humanity to the Moon on future Artemis missions. Tolatovicz is a mechanical…
Read More » -
NASA
A Hug for Home Away from Home
NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, hugs the Orion spacecraft in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, on Friday, April 10. After splashdown, the astronauts were met by a combined…
Read More » -
NASA
Artemis II Splashes Down
This image from April 10, 2026, captures NASA’s Orion spacecraft, with its parachutes deployed, seconds before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The Artemis II crew accomplished many milestones on their nearly 10-day mission, surpassing the Apollo 13 record for farthest crewed spaceflight and capturing views of the far side of the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly…
Read More » -
NASA
Solar Eclipse of the Heart
The Moon, seen here backlit by the Sun during a solar eclipse on April 6, 2026, is photographed by one of the cameras on the Orion spacecraft’s solar array wings. During lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts observed a solar eclipse that only they could see due to their unique position. See more photos from the Artemis II mission. Image…
Read More » -
NASA
NASA’s Artemis II Crew Eclipses Record for Farthest Human Spaceflight
Editor’s note: This release was updated at 7:28 p.m. EDT on April 6, 2026, to reflect Orion’s final closest approach to the lunar surface from about 4,070 miles to about 4,067 miles. NASA also updated the farthest distance Orion will travel. Four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II test flight around the Moon made history at 12:56 p.m. CDT on Monday,…
Read More » -
NASA
Night Sky Network Celebrates Artemis II
Today, the crew of Artemis II reaches a milestone, traveling farther than any humans in recorded history, as they orbit the far side of the Moon, roughly 4,000 miles above the lunar surface. You can watch this historic broadcast on NASA’s YouTube channel today, April 6, 2026, at 10 AM Pacific (1 PM Eastern), or on NASA+. Be sure to celebrate with your…
Read More » -
NASA
The Near Side of the Moon
The astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft captured this photo of the Moon’s near side on April 4, 2026. The image features dark patches at center and right; these are ancient lava flows, which are unique to this side of the Moon. The Artemis II astronauts – astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch of NASA and CSA (Canadian Space…
Read More » -
NASA
Illuminated in Orion
NASA astronaut Christina Koch reads on a tablet in the dimly lit Orion crew capsule in this April 3, 2026, photo. To the right of the image’s center, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen is seen in profile peering out of one of Orion’s windows. Lights are turned off to avoid glare on the windows. On the third day…
Read More »