Happy Earth Day!
What is it?
On April 1, 2026, four astronauts launched on Artemis 2, the first crewed mission to the moon since NASA’s final Apollo mission took place over 50 years ago, in December 1972.
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In this photograph snapped by the Artemis 2 crew, affectionately titled “Hello, World,” we can see our home planet out in space from the window of the Orion capsule “Integrity.”
Why is it incredible?
In sending astronauts on a trip around the moon, Artemis 2 also delivered some incredible new photographs of our home planet.
This particular image is especially interesting, as it was captured just after the crew completed their translunar injection burn, which sent Integrity on course toward the moon. So as the astronauts made their way into the great beyond, they took a moment to look back at their home as it got smaller and smaller in the distance.