Artemis II Breaks Human Record for Farthest Distance from Earth

The ongoing Artemis II crewed lunar flyby mission broke the human record for the farthest flight from Earth on the same day.

According to a report by China News Service, data from NASA on the 6th local time showed that the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby mission broke the record for the farthest distance humans have flown from Earth set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970 at around 1:57 p.m. Eastern Time. That record was 248,655 miles (about 400,171 kilometers).

According to the plan, the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby mission was scheduled to reach a distance of 252,760 miles (about 406,778 kilometers) from Earth at 7:07 p.m. Eastern Time on the 6th, which would surpass the record set by Apollo 13 by 4,105 miles (about 6,606 kilometers).

During the lunar flyby, Canadian astronaut Hansen stated, “Everything I see from here takes my breath away,” adding, “I hope our generation or the next will break the record again soon.”

This Artemis II mission uses the US's new generation lunar rocket, the Space Launch System, and the Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, including three Americans and one Canadian. The Space Launch System was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the evening of April 1.

According to US media reports, the mission lasts for 10 days; after completing the lunar flyby, the crew will return to Earth without landing on the Moon. NASA stated that this mission will test the various systems of the spacecraft and lay the foundation for the crewed lunar landing plan in 2028 and for deep space exploration missions.