The Artemis II crew, compiled pilots and mission specialists, are tasked with taking mankind further than it has ever gone before. With a crew of four people, the spacecraft’s mission is to fly around the moon and back on its 10-day mission. The launch took place on April 1, and is planned to return April 11. 

On April 6, the astronauts traveled 248,655 miles from Earth, breaking the record for the farthest that humans have traveled that Apollo 13 set in 1970. It is estimated that the Artemis II crew will travel a total of 695,081 miles. The crew of Artemis II suggested naming two craters on the moon. One Integrity and the other Carroll, after one of the astronauts, Reid Wiseman’s, late wife. 

Victor Glover, the pilot of Artemis II said, “As we prepare to go out of radio communication, 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. We will see you on the other side.” 

Dr. Lori Glaze, acting Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA said, “At NASA, we dare to reach higher, explore farther, and achieve the impossible. That’s embodied perfectly by our Artemis II astronauts – Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy. They are charting new frontiers for all humanity.”

From Artemis II, NASA will gain more knowledge about human health in space. Artemis I, the unmanned mission before Artemis II, discovered that astronauts are exposed to cancer-causing radiation, which women are more susceptible to . This, along with other information gathered since mankind’s last visit to the moon, is being tested with the crew of Artemis II

Matt Kelly, from the University of Virginia Today, said “Women in particular are more prone to this damaging radiation, and Artemis I worked toward testing the shielding necessary to safely send female astronauts (in addition to their male counterparts) into deep Earth orbit.” 

The Artemis II crew is traveling farther than any human has before. This isn’t the only monumental thing this mission has accomplished. Victor Glover is the first black astronaut to be assigned to a lunar mission and Christina Koch, the first female astronaut on a lunar mission, are both part of the Artemis II crew.  These four astronauts are making breakthroughs, not just in space, but also on Earth.