Journey to the Moon

NASA says Artemis II has reached the Moon’s gravitational sphere of influence, putting the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years within sight.

The agency said on April 5 that the spacecraft would enter the Moon’s sphere of influence later in the day. The planned lunar flyby remains set for Monday, April 6, and NASA says the astronauts will use the pass to take high-resolution photographs and study the Moon’s far side.

NASA’s earlier mission updates say the flight is roughly 10 days long and ends with splashdown off the coast of San Diego on April 10. AP and Scientific American reported on the same day that the crew is near the midpoint of the trip and is on course to exceed Apollo 13’s maximum distance from Earth.

The mission is moving steadily through its planned milestones, with NASA also using the flight to test procedures and prepare for future lunar missions.

For now, the next major step is the April 6 flyby, when the spacecraft swings around the Moon before heading back toward Earth.