President Donald Trump has congratulated the crew of NASA's Artemis II moon mission, hailing their lunar fly-by as the start of a new era of American space colonization.
"You've made history and made all America incredibly proud," Trump said. "Your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon.... we'll plant our flag once again, and this time we won't just leave footprints.”
It comes after commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen successfully circled the dark side of the moon, joyfully re-establishing communications with Earth after a 41-minute blackout.
The mission marks NASA astronauts’ first close encounter with the moon in over 50 years, carrying the crew a maximum of 252,760 miles away from Earth.
It will take the astronauts four days to get back, with a splashdown in the Pacific set to conclude their test flight on Friday.
NASA has a livestream providing continuous coverage of the Artemis II mission.
Key Points
- NASA's lunar flyby timeline: When to tune in to watch the historic event
- President Trump congratulates Artemis II astronauts in live call
- NASA crew is the first set of astronauts to visit the moon in the 21st century
- Astronauts receive message that they broke the record set by Apollo 13
- Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman shares 'gratitude' ahead of flyby
Astronauts share how they felt during 45-minute communications blackout
05:01 , Vishwam SankaranThe Artemis II crew lost signal with ground systems for over 40 minutes, as their spacecraft passed behind the Moon.
"I think one of the biggest highlights was coming back from the far side of the Moon, and having the first glimpses of planet Earth again after being out of communication for about 45 minutes," astronaut Cristina Koch said during a live broadcast on Tuesday.
"It really does remind you what a special place we have," Koch said.
Crew member Victor Glover said he had to keep making observations of the Moon during the blackout period.
"I said a little prayer but then had to keep recording scientific observations of the far side of the Moon," Glover said.
'We'll establish permanent presence on Moon and push onto Mars': Trump
04:46 , Vishwam SankaranSpeaking to the Nasa Artemis II crew on Tuesday on a live broadcast, US president Donald Trump thanked the astronauts for "inspiring the world", adding that the current mission would pave the way for America's return to the lunar surface soon.
"We'll plant our flag once again and this time we won't just leave footprints but have a permanent presence on the Moon and we'll push onto Mars," Trump said.
"So America we'll be second to none in everything we do in space," he said.
Why Artemis astronauts have floating soft toy in capsule
04:31 , Vishwam SankaranThe crew has been carrying with it a soft toy named "Rise" created by an eight-year-old as their zero-gravity indicator for the mission.
It can be seen during the live video broadcast floating near astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Rise, designed by second grader Lucas Ye from Mountain View, California, flies along with the crew to visually indicate when they are in zero gravity.
It was designed at Nasa's Thermal Blanket Lab at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
What Bill Nye is most excited about from Artemis II's findings
04:30 , Io DoddsThe Artemis II astronauts' observations raise fascinating questions about the composition of the moon's surface, science communicator Bill Nye has said.
Noting that the crew had seen many "pinpricks" of light down on the surface, Nye said there was a "mystery" about what substances could be reflecting the sun's light to that degree.
"If there is water ice on the moon, why isn't it evaporating? What's going on?" he asked. "Is there something strange about the solar wind, protons streaming off the sun, that creates minerals that are highly reflective, and not extant here on Earth's surface?
"I'm most excited about this. I didn't expect [the astronauts] to be saying how reflective things are."
Scientists are confident these days that there is some water on the moon, but how it behaves and how much of it there is remain unclear.
Astronauts thank Nasa chief for iPhones
04:20 , Vishwam SankaranAsked by Nasa chief Jared Isaacman how the pictures taken by the crew have been so far, Christina Koch said all astronauts loved getting their hands behind the lens.
"I've been into night time photography and it's a dream come true for me. The timelapses I've been trying to get have been tougher... but what we've got so far has been out of this world," Koch said during the live broadcast.
"Having to set the low light features for Earth shine near the Moon while there was an eclipse – that was a new one and I had to dig deep into the book for that one," she said as crew commander Reid Wiseman.
"Thanks for the iPhones! They've been working great," Wiseman said on the broadcast.
Video: A heartfelt embrace as the crew remember a lost loved one
04:17 , Lauren Io DoddsThe Artemis II crew were visibly emotional when they radioed through their request to name a crater after commander Reid Wiseman's late wife Carroll earlier today.
"A number of years ago, we started this journey in our close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one," said mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, sounded audibly choked up.
"Her name was Carroll. The spouse of Reed, the mother of Katie and Ellie."
Wiseman himself had his hand on Hansen's shoulder as he finished the broadcast, while mission specialist Christina Koch could be seen rubbing her eyes.
We couldn't hear what was said after that, since they were no longer be transmitting. But Wiseman floated over to embrace Hansen in a hug, soon joined by Koch and Glover.
They stayed in that embrace for another 14 seconds.
Crew's advice for Artemis III astronauts
04:07 , Vishwam SankaranThe Nasa Artemis II crew are speaking now over a video chat broadcast live on YouTube.
They were asked what advice they would give to astronauts who will be part of the subsequent Artemis III mission to the Moon.
"How you pack has a huge impact on how you'll live on the journey," the crew's pilot Victor Glover said during the broadcast.
"Things like food and hygiene products and you know what's going on with our waste management system - so practising the technology we have and being familiar with that mentally is important," he said.
President Trump hails mission as new era for American expansion in space
03:42 , Io DoddsPresident Donald Trump has congratulated the Artemis II crew on their journey, trumpeting it as the beginning of a new era of American colonization of the moon and Mars.
"A special hello to Artemis two today, You've made history and made all America really proud, incredibly proud," he said, after a brief introduction from NASA head Jared Isaacman.
"We have a lot of things to be proud of lately, but there's nothing like what you're doing, circling around the moon for the first time in more than a half a century, and breaking the all time record for the farthest distance from Planet Earth."
He went on: "At long last, America is back... your mission paves the way for America's return to the lunar surface very soon. We're going all out, we're doing everything we can, and it's headed up by Jared.
"We'll plant our flag once again, and this time we won't just leave footprints. We'll establish a permanent presence on the moon, and we'll push on to Mars... and we will continue to lead the whole thing into the stars."
What's next for the crew of Integrity?
03:05 , Io DoddsWhat do you do after witnessing the indescribable? For Artemis II, it's all been planned out in advance.
Having completed their lunar fly-by and observations, the Integrity crew are now "cleaning up" their notes and uploading the photos from their camera S.D. cards to send to NASA.
Then, they will sleep.
Overnight, NASA's science team will beaver away going over all the data. When the astronauts wake up in the morning, they'll hold a conference with the scientists to go over their personal experiences while the memories are still fresh.
After that, it's all meetings. There will be a public affairs event, a private health check-in with NASA's medical team, and a flight director conference.
Finally the crew will undertake their "hygiene activities" and eat their dinner before sleeping once again.
No words
02:43 , Io DoddsVictor Glover is audibly awed as he struggles to describe what he is seeing during the solar eclipse.
"If you've ever seen the spotlight off the top of the Luxor at night in Las Vegas, this looks like what that wants to be when it grows up," he says at one point.
Later, he requests that Mission Control add "about 20 new superlatives" to the English language, so that he has words to capture it.
Video: An 'indescribable' solar eclipse
02:18 , Io DoddsHere’s an incredible video from NASA of the solar eclipse, giving a tiny sense of what the Artemis II crew witnessed as the sun dipped behind the moon.
Artemis II is now entering a solar eclipse that will last for about an hour as Orion, the Moon and the Sun align. During this phase, the crew will see the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon. pic.twitter.com/VHdY5oa7aE
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 7, 2026
But it’s clear that video can’t hold a candle to what the astronauts are actually seeing as they fly through intense darkness.
"I know this observation won't be of any scientific value, but I'm really glad we launched on April 1. Because humans probably have not evolved to see what we're seeing,” says pilot Victor Glover said.
“Truly hard to describe. It is amazing... indescribable.”
Glover says the crew have eliminated every possible light source inside the cabin, turning all their screens down as low as they will go to avoid affecting their view of the stars and planets.
“No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of them,” he says.
“It is absolutely spectacular, surreal, there’s no adjectives. I’m going to need to invent some new ones to describe what we’re looking at out this window.”
'Our scientists are jumping up and down'
02:11 , Io DoddsIntegrity has just reestablished bidirectional contact with Houston. And what they're telling us has got NASA literally dancing on the live stream.
The Artemis II crew has spent the last half hour viewing the eclipse through special goggles, and what they saw was apparently stunning.
"This continues to be unreal," said pilot Victor Glover as he observed the sun's corona shining around the edges of the moon. "Wow. It’s amazing."
Astronauts said they saw the surface of the moon illuminated by "Earthshine" — the sun's light reflecting off our planet — and vivid views of stars and planets.
"The entire moon is lit-up. It's glowing behind the entire moon," said mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. "I thought it would look dark against the black sky or deep space, but the sun is lighting up the entire limb [edge] of the moon. You can see the entire perimeter of it.
The crew also said they saw at least five flashes of meteors impacting the moon — something that Mission Control said made members of its science team "jump up and down, literally".
On the live stream, one person in the control room could be seen dancing joyfully as Hansen described his observations.
"Even now, with the sun far behind the moon, you can still make up little bit of photography right around the entire limn, just bumps."
Nutella enjoys being in lunar spotlight
01:59 , Graeme MassieA jar of Nutella spread was seen floating through the capsule during day five of the Artemis mission, and the brand was quick to promote itself being in space.
Honored to have traveled further than any spread in history 🚀 Taking spreading smiles to new heights ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vDUJMi1qbS
— Nutella (@NutellaUSA) April 6, 2026
'Sun has gone behind the moon'
01:40 , Graeme Massie Crew now observing a unique solar eclipse
01:36 , Graeme MassieIt is only visible to the crew on the spacecraft and no one on Earth!
But when do we land?
01:33 , Io DoddsFor those just joining us, there won't be any moon landing today. That mission is still in the future.
Instead, Artemis II is something of a test flight: gathering data, checking everything works, and ironing out any kinks in the spacecraft that will soon, hopefully, take us back to the moon's surface.
Its roughly ten-day mission has involved a period in Earth orbit to do systems checks, a powerful "trans-lunar injection" engine burn to catapult the Integrity capsule towards the moon, and a "lunar fly-by" that uses the moon's gravity to slingshot Integrity round Earth's largest satellite and back towards home.
"We’ll get eyes on the moon, kind of map it out and then continue to go back in force," flight director Judd Frielin said before the mission.
During the flyby, the astronauts split into pairs and took turns capturing the lunar views out their windows with cameras. They'd studied and practiced extensively beforehand to know what to look out for.
One highlight of the four-day return trip will be Integrity's conversation with the International Space Station, where NASA currently has five astronauts.
It's the first time ever that a moon crew has colleagues in space at the same time, so NASA can’t pass up the opportunity for a cosmic chitchat.
Next year's Artemis III won't be landing on the moon either. Its job, as currently planned, is to conduct further tests — including docking with the lunar lander, which will be launched into lunar orbit beforehand.
Artemis IV in 2028 is when NASA plans to actually land human beings on the moon's surface, for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.
What's next for Artemis II?
01:11 , Io DoddsWith the moon in their rear-view mirror, the Artemis II astronauts are now enjoying some well-earned downtime.
Integrity is now oriented away from the moon, meaning there are no more photo opportunities for a little while.
It's currently around 4,600 miles away from the moon, and around 252,000 miles from earth — the former decreasing, and the latter increasing, every moment.
The spacecraft is also taking the opportunity to charge its batteries from its on-board solar panels. We're in a "forward link loss of signal" right now, meaning Integrity can't hear Earth but we can hear them.
Soon, the crew will witness something never seen before by any human being: a solar eclipse as seen from the moon.
A small celebration ritual — and 'toilet maintenance'
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:52 , Io DoddsRoughly 250,000 miles away from Earth, a little ritual has just taken place to mark Integrity's return from the dark side of the moon.
On the comms a few minutes ago, Christina Koch said all crew members had now flipped over their mission patches, which are double sided.
Until now, the patches were showing side A: the moon massive in the foreground, the Earth far away in the background.'
But now they've been flipped to side B, showing the Earth in the foreground and the moon beyond it. It's a symbol that the moon is now behind them.
And now, having earlier been in a state of “moon joy”, it’s back to normality. Maintenance checks must be done, including a “a shortened toilet maintenance” routine.
Welcome back, Integrity.
'We will always choose each other'
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:41 , Io DoddsHere are Christina Koch's stirring words from the Integrity spacecraft upon re-establishing contact with the rest of humanity.
"When we burned this bird towards the moon, I said that we do not leave Earth, and that is true.
"We will explore, we will build, we will build ships. We will visit again. We will construct science outposts. We will drive rovers. We will do radio astronomy.
"We will found companies, we will bolster industries, we will inspire. But ultimately, we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other."
Mission Control's response was similarly lyrical.
"Integrity, from Earth, our single system — fragile and interconnected — we copy. Those of us that can are looking back."
We're so back
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:32 , Io DoddsSignal is restored! Artemis II has made it round the moon.
"Houston, Integrity, comm check," says Christina Koch.
Loud and clear. "It is so great to hear from Earth again."
The chat in the live stream goes wild.
Less than one minute to go...
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:25 , Io DoddsStanding by for the restoration of signal.
Farthest point: confirmed
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:05 , Io DoddsNASA just confirmed that Artemis II has reached its furthest position from the Earth.
As the astronauts pass behind the moon, they will be on the lookout for any interesting events or phenomena they can photograph despite the darkness of the surface.
In particular, during the brief moment when the sun’s light shines round the edge of the moon — towards the end of the LOS — they will be looking for “lofted dust” rising from the surface of the moon, which is invisible under normal conditions.
The farthest point
Tuesday 7 April 2026 00:02 , Io DoddsAt this moment, Artemis II should be reaching its farthest point from Earth — and the farthest any human being has ever been from our home planet.
According to NASA's predictions, the spacecraft will make its closest approach to the moon at around 7:02pm Eastern Time.
Approaching the near side of the Moon.
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 6, 2026
The Artemis II astronauts have surpassed the record for the distance from Earth at 1:56 ET (1756 UTC). This record was previously set during the Apollo 13 mission when the astronauts traveled 248,655 miles from Earth. The Moon continues to… pic.twitter.com/OapAGgGMex
Victor Glover: 'We love you from the moon'
Monday 6 April 2026 23:54 , Io DoddsIn the last few minutes before losing signal, Artemis II pilot Victor Glover delivered a heartfelt message to the people of Earth.
"From all of us, it's a privilege to witness you carrying the fire past our furthest reach," Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons at Mission Control told the crew. "Thank you, Godspeed."
Glover radioed back: "Thank you for that Jenni, and thank you to all of you for allowing us the immense privilege for being on this journey together. It's quite amazing."
He said he hoped they had fulfilled NASA's mission: "To explore the unknown in the air and space, to innovate for the benefit of humanity, and to inspire the world through discovery."
Then, citing the teachings of Jesus Christ — to "love God with all that you are", and "to love your neighbor as yourself" — he concluded: "We’re still going to feel your love from Earth.
"And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you from the moon."
Mission Control responded: "Houston copies. We’ll see you on the other side."
Loss of signal
Monday 6 April 2026 23:45 , Io DoddsAnd there we are. The Artemis II astronauts are now out of communication with Earth, behind the dark side of the moon.
“We have confirmation of loss of signal,” says NASA’s live stream host.
“This is a poignant moment, as it’s the first time in over 50 years that we have humans completely unreachable by anyone else on Earth, no matter how distant or secluded.”
Everyone you know is in this photo
Monday 6 April 2026 23:42 , Io DoddsWith just minutes to go until the loss of signal, we just got a historic moment.
Orion's external streaming camera showed the moon and, simultaneously, just past its curvature, the Earth.
That's one photo encompassing every single human being alive today — with the exception of the Artemis II astronauts themselves.
30 minutes to loss of signal
Monday 6 April 2026 23:16 , Io DoddsThe "loss of signal" period — known as the LOS — is less than 30 minutes away.
Starting at 6:44 p.m. Eastern Time, for 41 long minutes, the Orion spacecraft will be passing behind the dark side of the moon.
- With the moon's vast bulk blocking all radio signals, and no satellites in the neighborhood to relay them, the crew will be unable to communicate in any way with their home planet.
- It’s perhaps one of the most tense moments of any lunar flyby mission — though not as tense as when the crew will re-enter Earth's atmosphere in a sheath of flames.
- "Shortly after loss of signal, Orion is expected to make its closest approach at about 7:02 p.m. EST (12:02 a.m. BST), when it will be just 4,070 miles above the surface," NASA said in advance of the mission.
- During this time, the crew will continue taking photos. The darkness means that they won't be able to see any fine detail, but they'll be watching for the flashes of light where meteors hit the lunar surface.
- Communications are expected to be reestablished around 7:25 p.m. EST/12:25 a.m. BST. If that does not happen, something has gone wrong.
Status report: Less than 60 mins until blackout
Monday 6 April 2026 22:57 , Io DoddsWe now have around 45 minutes until Artemis II passes behind the moon and out of contact with the Earth.
For roughly 40 minutes, no signals will be able to reach the Orion spacecraft — a tense moment, but one that everyone has trained and prepared for extensively.
As it circles the moon, the Orion spacecraft will be between 4,000 miles and 6,000 miles above the lunar surface.
That's a much higher altitude than any of the Apollo missions, giving a wide-angle view of the whole surface that encompasses both poles and major geological features.
What's on the moon menu today?
Monday 6 April 2026 22:45 , Io DoddsNobody travels to the moon just for the cuisine. But for all that "space food" has become a popular synonym for "bad food", the crew's menu today sounds pretty decent.
Options for pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch's midday meal include beef ravioli, salmon, butternut squash, sweet and savory kale, pickled beets, tuna noodle casserole, tomatoes and artichokes, and broccoli, according to NASA's live stream.
For dessert, they can have cherry blueberry cobbler or chocolate peanut butter bars.
The two crew members are encouraged to eat at this time since they are in "support roles", not actively taking photos, and have some downtime.
Earlier we heard some interesting chatter between Artemis II and Mission Control about how to reduce the searing bright light through one of the windows, as well as removing condensation from the glass.
The moon in all her glory
Monday 6 April 2026 22:34 , Io DoddsAs the Artemis II crew continue to snap photos, here’s some more incredible pictures from the mission so far.
Artemis II astronaut says moon appears brown close up
Monday 6 April 2026 21:50 , Isabel KeaneWhile the moon appears to be bright and white from Earth, astronauts on the Artemis II mission say it looks different up close.
“Something I just heard from the window team is ‘the more I look at the moon, the browner and browner it looks,’” astronaut Christina Koch told mission control.
The observations were made by NASA commander Reid Wiseman and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The duo was the first pair to take observations at Orion’s windows on Monday.
Pilot Victor Glover says strain on eyes has been 'difficult' to manage
Monday 6 April 2026 21:06 , Isabel KeaneArtemis II pilot Victor Glover said his eyes were struggling to keep up as the crew’s lunar flyby progressed Monday afternoon.
Even though the crew dimmed the cabin inside the Orion spacecraft, Glover said it was “very taxing on the eyes looking out the window” at the bright moon, and then looking back inside the dark cabin.
“It’s just been an exercise,” Glover said. “It is a difficult thing to manage it all with my glasses and then having to wait as my eyes adjust.”
Astronauts switch places at windows
Monday 6 April 2026 20:59 , Isabel KeaneChristina Koch and Victor Glover have taken post at the windows of Orion, the spacecraft carrying out the Artemis II mission.
The pair will now be taking photographs and making observations of the moon.
Astronauts use annotated diagrams to identify high-priority targets on the moon
Monday 6 April 2026 20:50 , Isabel KeaneReid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen are the first pair of astronauts observing the moon through the spacecraft Orion’s windows during the lunar flyby.
One is responsible for taking photographs while the other records observations, NASA said. They will later switch places with Christina Koch and Victor Glover.
Each pair observes the moon for between 55 and 85 minutes.
The astronauts rely on annotated diagrams, like the one pictured below, to identify “high-priority” targets on the moon.
Astronauts name craters on Moon after Orion spacecraft, Reid Wiseman's late wife
Monday 6 April 2026 20:09 , Isabel KeaneAstronauts on the Artemis II mission have proposed naming two craters on the Moon to commemorate their historic trip.
One of the craters would be named Integrity, which is what the crew named the Orion spacecraft. The second crater will be named for Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll.
To commemorate the Artemis II mission, the astronauts announced their suggestion to rename certain features on the Moon to honor the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, as well as commander Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll. pic.twitter.com/ejfhnItDo8
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
Lunar flyby officially begins
Monday 6 April 2026 19:50 , Isabel KeaneThe Artemis II astronauts are starting to take science observations as they begin their lunar flyby.
The crew, split into pairs, will spend about seven hours gathering observations and taking photos of the moon.
The observations will be made looking through the Orion spacecraft’s windows, with each pair looking out for between 55 and 85 minutes before switching places.
Livestream shows Artemis II crew aboard Orion aircraft
Monday 6 April 2026 19:25 , Isabel Keane NASA shares image of near side of the Moon
Monday 6 April 2026 19:16 , Isabel KeaneApproaching the near side of the Moon.
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 6, 2026
The Artemis II astronauts have surpassed the record for the distance from Earth at 1:56 ET (1756 UTC). This record was previously set during the Apollo 13 mission when the astronauts traveled 248,655 miles from Earth. The Moon continues to… pic.twitter.com/OapAGgGMex
Astronauts receive message that they broke the record set by Apollo 13
Monday 6 April 2026 19:09 , Isabel KeaneAfter Artemis II broke the record, astronaut Jenni Gibbons in mission control in Houston, told the crew:
“On April 15, 1970 during the Apollo 13 mission, three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from our home planet. At that time, over 55 years ago, Lovell, Swigert and Hayes flew 248,655 statute miles away from Earth...
Today, for all humanity, you’re pushing beyond that frontier.”
A new milestone for humankind: The crew of Artemis II are now the farthest any human has ever travelled, reaching a maximum distance of 252,752 miles from Earth.
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
This surpasses the previous record set by Apollo 13 in 1970 by about 4,102 miles. pic.twitter.com/DbLFvvdEfT
Artemis II astronauts make history as farthest traveling humans from Earth
Monday 6 April 2026 18:58 , Isabel KeaneThe Artemis II astronauts made history Monday afternoon, becoming the farthest-traveling humans from Earth.
The Orion spacecraft’s four-person crew passed the Apollo 13 distance record of 248,655 miles from Earth, a record that was set in 1970.
The spacecraft broke the record just before 2 p.m. Eastern on Monday.
The spacecraft will reach its maximum distance from Earth of 252,760 miles from Earth at 7:07 p.m.
Lead scientist for lunar observations helps crew prepare for observations
Monday 6 April 2026 18:49 , Isabel KeaneKelsey Young, the lead scientist for lunar observations during the Artemis II mission, helped the crew prepare for the observations they will make over the seven-hour flyby.
Young also reminded the crew that they should let their eyes adjust to the lighting. As part of the preparations, the lighting within the Orion spacecraft dimmed to allow for the astronauts’ pupils to open wider so they can take in more details during their observations.
Artemis II crew set to break record as farthest astronauts to ever leave earth
Monday 6 April 2026 18:29 , Isabel KeaneThe crew of four astronauts will break the record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth.
NASA predicts the crew will break this record at 1:56 p.m. Eastern time.
The crew will pass the distance from Earth record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
The toilet has been a recurring issue on the Artemis II moon mission
Monday 6 April 2026 18:26 , Isabel KeaneNASA’s historic mission back to the moon has largely gone off without a hitch over the last five days - with one major and potentially smelly exception.
The Orion spacecraft’s $23 million toilet - the euphemistically-titled Universal Waste Management System - was on the fritz on the first day of the 10-day mission, providing a major headache for NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The first issue, last Thursday, was with the toilet pump, which needed extra water to be ready for use. A second issue occurred Saturday with the wastewater dump, which had ice blocking the liquid from being sent out into space. Fortunately, the problems with the first-ever toilet to travel to deep space have been fixable so far.
The Artemis II flight, which launched from Houston, Texas, last Wednesday is the first time that humans have returned to the moon in 53 years. The long-term goal is establishing a permanent base on the moon that will allow astronauts to travel on to Mars in the future.
On Monday, at 1:56 p.m. (ET), the crew is expected fly around the dark side of the moon, breaking the record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth.
Read more from The Independent’s Julia Musto
President Donald Trump compliments astronauts, NASA Administrator ahead of flyby
Monday 6 April 2026 18:13 , Isabel KeanePresident Donald Trump complimented the four astronauts taking part in the Artemis II mission, as well as NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, during the White House’s Easter Egg Roll on Monday.
“I think they’re fantastic,” Trump said about the Artemis II crew. “[Jared Isaacman’s] got NASA hopping.”
WATCH: Artemis II astronauts make their closest approach to the moon
Monday 6 April 2026 18:02 , Isabel KeaneLIVE: Watch with us as the Artemis II astronauts make their closest approach to the Moon, traveling farther from Earth than ever before. https://t.co/Zpy7GdTqA8
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
NASA shares preview for how crew will take images and describe targets on the Moon
Monday 6 April 2026 17:48 , Isabel KeaneNASA shared a “preview” to show what their crew will be looking at during the flyby, including a list of targets for them to image.
Each target relates to NASA’s 10 lunar science objectives, which they hope to accomplish during the mission.
A preview of how the crew will describe and image targets on the Moon for lunar science objectives: pic.twitter.com/WcSIkRCoK8
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
NASA shares updated schedule ahead of lunar flyby
Monday 6 April 2026 17:29 , Isabel KeaneTired: Monday
Wired: Moonday
Today our Artemis II astronauts fly around the Moon! Tune in, starting at 1pm ET (1700 UTC) as they view parts of the Moon never seen by human eyes.
Watch it live with us: https://t.co/fAg0bGAqEc pic.twitter.com/OMG3uNrHAk
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman shares 'gratitude' ahead of flyby
Monday 6 April 2026 17:06 , Isabel KeaneArtemis II commander Reid Wiseman shared his “gratitude” for getting to participate in the NASA mission ahead of Monday’s flyby.
“All I feel is gratitude for this experience,” Wiseman wrote while quote-tweeting a post he made in 2016 about having a dream that he was in lunar orbit.
All I feel is gratitude for this experience. https://t.co/47epB947bF
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) April 6, 2026
NASA shares new image of the Moon's near side
Monday 6 April 2026 16:45 , Isabel KeaneMake new friends, but keep the old.
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
A new photo captures the Moon's near side on the right (the side we see from Earth, identifiable by its dark splotches) and its far side on the left. The Artemis II crew are the first to see the far side with human eyes. pic.twitter.com/Z8QaZ6J9iA
Artemis II astronauts wake to message from Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell
Monday 6 April 2026 16:28 , Isabel KeaneAstronauts aboard Orion for the Artemis II mission woke Monday morning to a message from legendary Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who died last year at age 97.
“Hello, Artemis 2! This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood,” Lovell said in the recording.
Lovell said in the recording that his mission inspired people around the world and that he was “proud” to pass that torch on to the Artemis II crew.
“It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view,” Lovell said in the recording.
Lovell is best known as the NASA astronaut who guided his Apollo 13 crew through one of the most dangerous moments in space exploration in history. He also served as the Command Module Pilot on Apollo 8.
He also known for delivering the famous line, “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” during the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission.
"Welcome to my old neighborhood." Our @NASAArtemis II astronauts woke up on the sixth day of their mission to a special message recorded in 2025 by astronaut Jim Lovell, the pilot of Apollo 8. pic.twitter.com/XA4Dc2yQm5
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
What is the Artemis II crew doing on this mission?
Monday 6 April 2026 16:05 , Isabel KeaneThe four astronauts on the Artemis II mission are putting the Orion spacecraft through a series of tests to evaluate systems, procedures and performance in deep space to help future moon missions.
“They will conduct manual spacecraft operations and monitor automated activities; evaluate Orion’s life-support, propulsion, power, thermal, and navigation systems; perform proximity operations activities; assess habitability and crew interfaces; and participate in science activities, including lunar surface observations and human health studies, that will inform science operations on future Moon missions,” according to NASA’s website.
The astronauts will also practice “mission-critical activities” like trajectory adjustments, communications at lunar distances and piloting Orion during key phases of flight.
NASA shares 'lunar lunch' choices for astronauts, featuring cosmic brownie dessert
Monday 6 April 2026 15:35 , Isabel KeaneYou had us at cosmic brownie!✨
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
The @NASAArtemis II crew has quite a selection to choose from for midday meals.
Tell us your lunar lunch pick! pic.twitter.com/JQIbDqz45W
Artemis II lunar fly-by can be viewed on numerous streaming platforms
Monday 6 April 2026 15:22 , Isabel KeaneWhile NASA has been providing continuous coverage of the Artemis II mission across its social media, viewers can watch the lunar fly-by on several different platforms.
Live coverage of the mission will be on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max and Roku starting at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Additionally, NASA provides 24/7 coverage of the mission on its YouTube channel.
NASA's lunar fly-by timeline: When to tune in to watch the historic event
Monday 6 April 2026 15:18 , Isabel KeaneFour Artemis II astronauts will spend seven hours flying by the moon today.
The science officer in the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will brief the crew at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, with lunar observations set to begin at 2:45 p.m.
Here are key times to check out NASA’s coverage of the historic event.
1 pm: NASA+ coverage of lunar fly-by begins
1:56 pm: Crew passes the distance from Earth record set by Apollo 13 in 1970
2:45 pm: Lunar flyby begins
7:02 pm: Orion closest approach to Moon (4,070 miles)
7:07 pm: Orion reaches maximum distance from Earth (252,760 miles)
8:35 pm: Orion enters solar eclipse
NASA crew is the first set of astronauts to visit the moon in the 21st century
Monday 6 April 2026 15:15 , Isabel KeaneThe Artemis II crew is the first set of astronauts to visit the moon in the 21st century.
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen will be the first people to see the moon up close since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
They will also see parts of the moon that Apollo astronauts never saw, like the poles of the far side of the moon.
Astronauts are also expected to see a rare solar eclipse, with the sun passing behind the moon from the crew’s perspective.
Artemis II crew enters lunar sphere of influence: 'An amazing milestone'
Monday 6 April 2026 15:09 , Isabel KeaneNASA confirmed Monday that the Orion spacecraft and its crew entered the lunar sphere of influence and were now “falling” toward the moon.
The milestone occurred approximately four days, six hours, two minutes and 54 seconds into the Artemis II mission.
“By reaching this milestone, it means that the gravitational forces of the moon are now greater on the Orion spacecraft than that of Earth,” Mission Control Houston says in a video shared by NASA Monday morning.
The clip also features the voice of astronaut Christina Koch, who noted that after entering the lunar sphere of influence, the Orion spacecraft was “falling to the moon, rather than rising away from Earth.”
“It is an amazing milestone,” Koch said.
We're going farther than ever before 🚀
— NASA (@NASA) April 6, 2026
Today, the Artemis II crew will break the record for how far humans have traveled from Earth as they fly around the far side of the Moon.
Coverage begins at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 UTC). Watch Artemis II make history:… pic.twitter.com/hCOVQPkxUF