the impartial 24: NASA

SPACE DEEP — April 5, 2026 – Four astronauts are currently 48 hours away from breaking a 56-year-old record as they prepare to become the furthest humans to ever travel from Earth. While the Artemis II mission is technically a "test flight," for the crew of the Orion spacecraft, it has become a historic journey into the deep-space record books.

Shattering the Apollo 13 Record

By tomorrow, Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen will surpass the record set by the legendary Apollo 13 crew in 1970. They are on a trajectory to reach 252,757 miles away from their home planet—a distance equivalent to circling the Earth's equator ten times.

The crew has already begun witnessing what this distance looks like, reporting that the Earth has shrunk to a small, glowing "oasis" in a vast black void.

From "Orbiters" to "Lunar Explorers"

The mission shifted from a simple transit to a true lunar encounter today as the spacecraft reached the Gravity Shift point. For the first time, the Moon's pull has overtaken the Earth's, effectively "capturing" the crew.

This gravity will serve as a high-speed slingshot. On Tuesday at 12:02 AM UK time, Orion will whip around the lunar far side, using the Moon’s mass to fling the astronauts back toward Earth at incredible speeds. This maneuver is the final "green light" needed to prove that NASA can safely send humans to the Moon and—more importantly—bring them back.

Proving the "Lifeboat"

The mission’s success isn't just about the distance; it’s about the survival of the "lifeboat" itself. Despite a minor plumbing crisis involving a frozen waste-water pipe, the Orion capsule has proven its resilience.

NASA’s Recovery Director, Lili Villarreal, is already mobilizing a massive Navy and NASA task force in the Pacific. They aren't just waiting for a capsule; they are waiting for the return of a new era. When the crew slams into the atmosphere at 25,000 mph next Friday, they won't just be returning as astronauts—they will be returning as the pioneers who reopened the door to the solar system.

A Sight for the History Books

The crew has already achieved one "first": the human sighting of the entire Orientale Basin. While millions have seen photos of the Moon, these four are the only living humans to have looked down at the lunar far side with their own eyes, describing the view as "absolutely spectacular."

As Pilot Victor Glover reminded audiences during a live broadcast: "We are the same thing—and we got to get through this together."

👉 Read More
https://thereporter24.com/news/beyond-the-horizon-artemis-ii-crew-witnesses-spectacular-lunar-far-side-as-gravity-tug-of-war-begins

🔴 ▶️ Watch Video

Munshi Firoz Al Mamun 4/05/2026 08:58:00 PM

A Flawless Ascent

The mission began with a thunderous liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center, as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust to propel the Orion spacecraft. The ascent was described as "flawless" by mission control, despite a brief, minor equipment alert that was quickly resolved by ground teams.

The crew is currently reported to be in "great spirits" as they begin the first phase of their 10-day journey.

The Critical 24-Hour Window

The mission is currently in a high-stakes "checkout" phase. Before committing to the Moon, the crew must remain in Earth’s orbit for approximately 24 hours to verify:

Life Support Systems: Ensuring the cabin remains pressurized and breathable for the duration of the deep-space flight.
Manual Piloting: Astronauts will conduct proximity operations to test how the Orion spacecraft handles under human control.
The TLI Burn: If all systems are "go," the spacecraft will perform a Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn, a massive engine fire that will slingshot the crew toward the lunar far side.

Redefining the Space Race

The successful launch comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension. With China aggressively pursuing its 2030 lunar landing goal, Artemis II serves as a vital validation of Western aerospace leadership.

"This is more than a test flight; it's a message," noted one NASA official. "We aren't just visiting the Moon; we are preparing to stay."

What’s Next?

As the spacecraft loops around the Moon—reaching a distance of nearly 230,000 miles from Earth—the crew will collect data critical for Artemis III, the mission slated to actually land humans on the lunar south pole.

The journey will culminate in a week's time with a fiery re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, testing Orion’s heat shield at speeds of 25,000 mph before a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Key Highlights of the Artemis II Mission

Feature	Detail
Objective	First crewed lunar flyby since 1972
Duration	10 days total
Spacecraft	Orion Capsule & SLS Rocket
Max Distance	~230,000 miles from Earth
Next Step	Artemis III (Crewed Lunar Landing)