Artemis II launch live updates: NASA reveals breathtaking photos from far side of the moon in historic first 

Ronny Reyes, David Propper, Ryan King, Caitlin McCormack and Victor Nava / NEW YORK POST

 

NASA’s Artemis II saw astronauts orbit the moon in a mission the likes of which have not been seen in more than 50 years.

On Monday, the four-person crew — Cmdr. Reid Wiseman, specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen and pilot Victor Glover — had their historic flyby of the moon.

The mission’s showstopper event gave the astronauts the world’s first-ever glimpses of parts of the lunar dark side, which they described as being “impossibly rugged” and “alien” — and broke the historic record set more than 50 years ago by Apollo 13.

They later crowded around the windows — wearing protective glasses — to watch a solar eclipse. Unlike on Earth, where the celestial phenomenon lasts just a few minutes, the crew’s glimpse lasted for nearly an hour.

The crew then spoke with President Trump, who congratulated them on their historic feat and called them “modern-day pioneers.” 

“You’ve made history and made all America really proud, incredibly proud,” Trump told them, before peppering them with questions and inviting them to the White House once they’re back on Earth.  Read more, see photos and video here.