NASA’s Artemis II has passed the halfway point on its historic journey to the Moon, marking a major milestone in humanity’s return to deep space exploration.
The four-member crew aboard the Orion spacecraft — three Americans and one Canadian — are the first astronauts to travel beyond Earth’s orbit since the Apollo program in 1972.
As the spacecraft performs a lunar flyby, astronauts are testing critical systems for future missions aimed at building a long-term lunar base.
Stunning images show Earth shrinking in the distance as the crew travels at speeds of up to 40,000 km/h.
Despite minor technical challenges onboard, including a malfunctioning toilet system, the mission remains on track, with splashdown expected next week.
Artemis II is a crucial step toward landing astronauts on the Moon again by 2028.
Al Jazeera's Ferdia Carr has this report.
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