NASA Releases Image of Earthset Taken by Artemis Crew Mission

NASA Releases Historic View of Earth from Lunar Flyby

A photograph of Earth slipping below the lunar horizon has been released by NASA, marking a historic moment in space exploration. The image was captured by members of the Artemis II crew during their record-setting flyby of the moon. The Orion capsule, carrying US astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, took the shot from its orbit around the lunar horizon.

The photograph echoes the iconic “Earthrise” image taken by US astronaut Bill Anders in December 1968 during the Apollo 8 mission. Anders’ photograph showed Earth’s brilliant blue disc set against the blackness of space, framed by the stark, grey lunar horizon. The new image has been shared on X and by the White House, which described it as “Humanity, from the other side.”

The Artemis II crew is part of a broader programme aimed at paving the way for a moon landing in 2028. During their journey, they have observed the lunar surface, including its contours and craters, and witnessed a solar eclipse when the moon passed in front of the sun.

The White House also released an image of the eclipse, calling it “a view few in human history have ever witnessed.” The crew’s mission is part of a historic effort to explore the far side of the moon.

Source: Al Jazeera