NASA's Artemis II Astronauts Spot Mysterious New Lunar Features ...
This week, a rare look at the far side of the Moon emerges in stunning new Artemis II imagery; but that's not all the astronaut crew observed.
thedebrief.orgHere’s the latest on Artemis II and the far side flyby based on recent reporting:
- Artemis II has completed a close approach to the Moon’s far side, with NASA and major outlets highlighting the historical nature of a crewed flyby and the opportunity to image regions of the far side that are normally hidden from Earth.[1][5]
- The mission’s crew— commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen— conducted multiple observations of the Orientale basin on the Moon’s far side, described as a major scientific focus and a baseline for comparing craters across rocky worlds.[7][1]
- Public coverage notes the crew’s imaging efforts during the flyby, including the first-ever full views of Orientale from a human vantage point, and discussions about what those observations may tell us about lunar geology and impact history.[6][1]
- Media coverage from late March to early April 2026 highlighted scheduled radio silence during portions of the flyby and NASA’s plans to televise briefings and provide updates as the mission progressed, with subsequent reports confirming successful imaging and close-distance passes to the far side.[3][5]
If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline of Artemis II’s key milestones during the far-side flyby (dates, distances, and notable observations) and attach a short map of Orientale’s location on the Moon for context. I can also surface the latest official NASA statements or reliable news summaries in a quick bullet list.
Citations:
- Artemis II far-side imagery and Orientale basin observations[1]
- NASA description of Orientale as a baseline crater reference[1]
- Public coverage on the mission’s flyby and imaging highlights[6]