Artemis II nears lunar orbit

NASA's Artemis II mission has reached a critical phase as the Orion spacecraft approaches the far side of the moon.

The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, has sent back breathtaking images of Earth while conducting manual piloting demonstrations and science objectives.

On Monday, they will enter a 40-minute communications blackout as they pass behind the lunar surface, venturing deeper into space than any previous human expedition.

While engineers manage a persistent plumbing issue in the capsule, the mission continues to provide vital data for a planned lunar landing in two years.