Live Mission Update
Beyond the Apollo Limit.
On April 6, 2026, the Orion spacecraft reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth. For the first time in over 50 years, humans have left low-Earth orbit to look back at the planet from the far side of the moon.
The Signal in the Stars
Artemis II isn’t just about the “view”—it’s a critical validation of the Orion life support systems and the SLS rocket’s trajectory precision. Here is the mission by the numbers:
New Record
252,756 Miles: Surpassing the Apollo 13 record by over 4,000 miles.
Lunar Flyby
Orion passed within 4,067 miles of the lunar surface yesterday evening.
The Return
Splashdown is scheduled for Friday, April 10, near San Diego.
“To Asia, Africa, and Oceania, we are looking back at you. We hear you can look up and see the moon right now.” — Christina Koch, Orion Spacecraft.
The hardware is holding, the crew is Earthbound, and the “Signal” for a permanent moon base has never been clearer. Welcome to the new Space Age.