Artemis II nears historic lunar flyby

Four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft are entering the most critical phase of their 10-day mission as they approach the lunar surface.

The mission will see the crew lose communication with Earth for approximately 40 minutes as they pass behind the moon's far side.

NASA has released stunning high-resolution images taken by the crew, including some captured on consumer smartphones to test microgravity performance.

Despite minor technical issues with the onboard toilet, the mission remains on track to pave the way for a future lunar landing.