Artemis II enters lunar sphere

NASA's Artemis II mission achieved a major milestone as the Orion spacecraft crossed into the lunar sphere of influence, where the Moon's gravity becomes the dominant force.

The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, is set to loop around the far side of the Moon, reaching a record-breaking distance of 252,760 miles from Earth.

During the flyby, the astronauts will experience approximately 40 minutes of radio silence as they pass behind the lunar surface, documenting regions never before seen by human eyes.

This mission serves as a critical test for the systems intended to return humanity to the lunar surface in the coming years.