The Artemis II crew set a new historic record by traveling farther from Earth than any other crewed mission, surpassing the distance achieved by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

According to Sky News, the Artemis II crew traveled the greatest distance ever reached by humans from Earth, breaking a record that had stood for more than 55 years since the Apollo 13 mission.

“You are going beyond that boundary”
NASA’s Mission Control Center informed the astronauts with a message emphasizing the importance of the achievement:

“Crew of Integrity: On April 15, 1970, during the Apollo 13 mission, three explorers set the record for the greatest distance humans had ever traveled from our planet.

At that time, more than 55 years ago, Lovell, Swigert, and Haise traveled 400,171 kilometers from Earth.

Today, on behalf of all humanity, you are going beyond that boundary.”

A historic milestone
According to NASA, the Apollo 13 mission reached a distance of 400,171 kilometers from Earth in 1970, setting a historic milestone for human spaceflight.

The agency notes that Artemis II is expected to reach a maximum distance of approximately 406,708 kilometers from Earth, surpassing the previous record by about 6,606 kilometers and establishing a new benchmark for future space exploration.

On the far side of the Moon
It is noted that in a few hours—specifically at 01:47 early Tuesday morning—the spacecraft carrying the four astronauts will pass behind the far side of the Moon. There, the Moon itself will block the signals that allow communication with NASA’s mission control in Houston. For about 40 minutes, the crew will be completely cut off from Earth.

Throughout the journey, continuous communication with mission control serves as a vital “lifeline,” providing a sense of familiarity and safety in an environment where the distance from Earth constantly increases. Losing that connection creates a rare moment of total isolation, as the astronauts move through the darkness of space with only their thoughts for company.

This experience is not unprecedented in the history of space exploration. More than 50 years ago, Apollo astronauts experienced similar moments during their missions to the Moon. A notable example is Michael Collins of Apollo 11, who in 1969 remained alone in the spacecraft while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin carried out the first Moon landing.