NASA has released the first images taken from inside the Artemis II Orion spacecraft, showing a breathtaking view of Earth as four astronauts travel toward the moon. The pictures highlight both the beauty of the planet and the importance of this historic mission.
On Friday, mission commander Reid Wiseman shared a photo of Earth captured through the window of the Orion capsule. The image shows the planet covered with wide cloud formations, appearing beautifully beyond the spacecraft.
Another image shows the full view of Earth, with its oceans clearly visible and a faint green aurora glowing along the horizon, offering a rare and stunning sight.
By midmorning Friday, the crew had reached about 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers) away from Earth and was continuing its journey toward the moon, with around 160,000 miles (258,000 kilometers) still remaining.
The Artemis II crew includes three American astronauts and one Canadian, who will fly around the moon in Orion without landing. The spacecraft’s course was set after the crew fired Orion’s main engine on Thursday night.
Mission specialist Christina Koch, the first woman to travel around the moon, described the experience:
“There’s nothing that prepares you for the breathtaking aspect of seeing your home planet both lit up bright as day and also the moon glow on it at night … I’m really excited for that. And then, of course, heading home.”
The NASA Artemis II mission has now entered its third day of a planned 10-day journey. On the sixth day, the astronauts will carry out a close flyby of the moon, reaching a distance of about 4,000 to 6,000 miles (6,450 to 9,650 kilometers) above the lunar surface.
“Suddenly, we’re up there with them.”
We’re sharing the Artemis II crew’s first images from space—keep following our 24/7 live feed for the latest mission updates: https://t.co/BezILihoZc pic.twitter.com/OwgYsWnngp
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2026
During this phase, the crew will travel around the far side of the moon, becoming the first humans in more than 50 years to go that far into deep space. While on this part of the mission, the astronauts will also practice scientific observations they are expected to perform.
After completing the loop around the moon, the Orion spacecraft will use the moon’s gravity to begin its journey back to Earth. The mission is scheduled to end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on April 11 at 00:06 GMT (April 10, 8:06 PM ET).
For the astronauts, the mission offers more than scientific achievement—it is a powerful reminder of humanity’s shared identity. Victor Glover, the first Black astronaut to journey beyond low-Earth orbit, reflected on the view:
“Trust us, you look amazing. You look beautiful. From up here, you look like one thing. Homo sapiens is all of us … We’re all one people.”
He added that the mission highlights the power of collaboration:
“This mission brought us together and showed us what we can do when we bring our differences together and use all the strengths to accomplish something great.”
