'Absolutely spectacular': Artemis II crew see first glimpse of far side of Moon
Astronauts on the Artemis II mission are on the third day of their journey around the far side of the Moon.
Coverage by Political Leaning
See how different sides of the spectrum reported this story
Notable Quotes
"Something about you senses that is not the Moon that I'm used to seeing."
— Christina Koch , Other
"It is absolutely phenomenal."
— Christina Koch , Other
"The moon we are looking at is not the moon you see from Earth whatsoever."
— Christina Koch , Other
"The darker parts just aren’t quite in the right place."
— Christina Koch , Other
"It was surreal."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"the darker parts just aren't quite in the right place"
— Christina Koch , Other
"Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of, and it's your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the moon."
— Jeremy Hansen , Other
"There is nothing normal about this. Sending four humans 250,000 miles away is a herculean effort, and we are now just realizing the gravity of that."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"That is the dark side. That is something we have never seen before."
— Christina Koch , Other
"It was surreal. For a moment, I was reunited with my little family. It was just the greatest moment of my entire life."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"You can see the entire globe from pole to pole... It was the most spectacular moment and it paused all four of us in our tracks."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of, and it’s your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the moon."
— Jeremy Hansen , Other
"The engine burn, which lasted five minutes and 55 seconds, went 'flawlessly'."
— Dr Lori Glaze , Other
"The darker parts just aren’t quite in the right place."
— Christina Koch , Other
"It was surreal."
— Reid Wiseman , Other
"Being human up here is one of the coolest things about this mission."
— Christina Koch , Other
"There’s something strange—I feel this isn’t the Moon I’m used to seeing."
— Christina Koch , Other
Key People
NASA astronaut also part of the Artemis 2 mission.
NASA official who commented on the Artemis II mission.
Harrison Schmitt is a former NASA astronaut and the only geologist to have walked on the moon.
Jared Isaacman is the new head of NASA and an amateur jet pilot known for being the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.
Astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency who flew on Artemis 2.
NASA astronaut who flew on the Artemis 2 mission.
NASA astronaut who participated in the Artemis 2 mission.
Tags
All Coverage
Astronauts on the Artemis II mission are on the third day of their journey around the far side of the Moon.
The Artemis II crew observes the Orientale basin, a massive lunar crater, marking the first human sighting of this feature.
Artemis II crew members describe their awe-inspiring views as they approach the Moon's far side, marking a significant milestone in lunar exploration.
Artemis II astronauts share their experiences of viewing the Moon's far side for the first time, noting significant differences from the familiar near side.
Artemis II astronauts discuss their first views of the Moon's far side, highlighting the differences from the familiar near side and the significance of their observations.
Astronauts aboard Artemis II release the first human-captured image of the Moon's far side, showcasing the Orientale Basin in its entirety.
The Artemis II crew has reached the lunar far side, marking humanity's first crewed venture beyond Earth orbit in over 50 years. Astronaut Christina Koch described the view as 'absolutely phenomenal,' noting the unfamiliar appearance of the moon's far side compared to the Earth-facing side.
Artemis II astronauts, including Christina Koch, have observed the moon's far side for the first time. Koch remarked that the darker parts 'aren’t quite in the right place,' sensing it was 'not the moon that I'm used to seeing.'
The Artemis II crew, now two-thirds of the way to the moon, had their first glimpse of the lunar far side. Astronaut Christina Koch described the view as 'absolutely spectacular,' noting it was 'something we have never seen before.'
Artemis II astronauts share their experiences of viewing the Moon's far side for the first time, noting significant differences from the familiar near side.
The Artemis II crew has reached the lunar far side, marking humanity's first crewed venture beyond Earth orbit in over 50 years. Astronaut Christina Koch described the view as 'something we have never seen before.'
Similar Stories
Related coverage based on topic and tags
In pictures: Sky watchers gather for solar eclipse
People across Kent, Surrey and Sussex watch the moon obscure the sun in a rare partial eclipse.
August 12, 2026 at 07:13 PMWatch: Solar eclipse seen over UK skies
Millions of people in the UK and Europe have been wowed by a once-in-a-generation solar eclipse.
August 12, 2026 at 09:46 PMBuilder with own observatory captures solar eclipse
Simon Wallace, who got hooked on astrophotography in lockdown, shares his images of the spectacle.
August 13, 2026 at 04:37 PMOnce-in-a-generation solar eclipse wows millions in UK and Europe
More than 95% of the Sun was covered by the Moon in Cornwall, while parts of Spain experienced the magic of a total eclipse.
August 12, 2026 at 09:53 PMTracking USS Lincoln's months-long mission as concerns about conditions grow
BBC Verify has used satellite imagery to monitor the warship on one of the longest ever US deployments.
August 18, 2026 at 08:48 PMMillions watch 'surreal' solar eclipse in UK and Europe
More than 90% of the Sun was covered by the Moon in the UK, while a full eclipse was visible in Spain and Iceland.
August 12, 2026 at 10:45 PM