Artemis II Exits Lunar Sphere of Influence, Crew Sets Distance Record en Route Home

On April 7, the Artemis II Orion spacecraft exited the lunar sphere of influence at approximately 1:25 p.m. ET, at 41,072 miles from the Moon, and began its return trajectory toward Earth. The crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch (NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (CSA) — set a new crewed distance record of 252,760 miles from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13's previous record. During the lunar flyby on April 6, the crew also observed a total solar eclipse from space, with the Sun blocked by the Moon for approximately 53 minutes. President Trump phoned the crew, telling them 'You've made history.' Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego is targeted for approximately April 11.