SPACE / NASA – Six years after the original Artemis I mission, humanity has officially reclaimed the deep space crown. As of today, April 7, 2026, the four-person crew of Artemis II has successfully exited the lunar sphere of influence and begun their three-day journey back to Earth.
The mission, which launched on April 1, reached its zenit
h yesterday when the Orion spacecraft shattered the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth—252,756 miles—surpassing the legendary 1970 mark set by Apollo 13.
An “Earthset” to Remember
To commemorate the journey, NASA and the White House released a stunning “Earthset” photograph captured by the crew during their lunar flyby. The image shows a brilliant, marbled Earth setting behind the cratered horizon of the lunar far side.
In a modern twist on space history, NASA confirmed that the crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—is using a specially modified iPhone 17 Pro Max to document the mission. The device is being used alongside professional high-fidelity cameras to capture rapid-response social media content and assist in cabin inventory management.
