NASA’s Artemis II crew sets new distance record, reaches farthest from Earth

April 7, 2026

Washington:  Astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission have set a new record for the farthest distance travelled by humans from Earth, marking a major milestone in the first crewed lunar mission in over five decades. Four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — crossed the historic threshold six days into their mission, travelling 248,655 miles from Earth and eventually reaching about 252,756 miles at the farthest point of their journey.

Previous record set during Apollo 13 in 1970

The milestone surpasses the previous record set during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, establishing a new benchmark in human spaceflight. In a post on X, NASA Earth said, “New record The Artemis II astronauts are now farther from Earth than humans have ever been! At 1:57 p.m. EDT, they broke the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. Their journey around the far side of the Moon today will take them a maximum distance of 252,752 miles from Earth.”

New record🥇

The Artemis II astronauts are now farther from Earth than humans have ever been! At 1:57 p.m. EDT, they broke the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

Their journey around the far side of the Moon today will take them a maximum distance of 252,752 miles from Earth. pic.twitter.com/P5Swojpn0n

— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) April 6, 2026

10-day Mission of Crew designed for Space Launch System

The crew is currently on a 10-day mission designed to test the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft in a deep space environment with astronauts onboard.

The mission includes a lunar flyby before returning to Earth. Speaking from aboard the Orion spacecraft, Hansen reflected on the moment.

“From the cabin of Integrity here, as we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration,” he said.

During the lunar flyby, the astronauts conducted extensive observations, capturing high-resolution images of the Moon and studying surface features, including craters and geological formations.

The crew also witnessed a solar eclipse as the Moon passed in front of the Sun and experienced a planned communications blackout lasting about 40 minutes as the spacecraft moved behind the Moon. At one point, the spacecraft came within about 4,067 miles of the lunar surface, offering astronauts a rare view of regions of the Moon not previously seen directly by humans.

By surpassing that record, Artemis II marks a significant step in reviving deep space human exploration and advancing long-term ambitions for lunar and interplanetary missions.