Science

...

The Artemis II mission is expected to complete a record-breaking lunar flyby today.

The Canadian Space Agency says astronaut Jeremy Hansen and his three American crewmates are set to become the space explorers who will have ventured farther into space than anyone before, surpassing a record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

...

When Orion passes behind the moon, the spacecraft will enter a communications blackout of about 40 minutes as the lunar surface blocks radio signals.

Later, it will come as close as about 6,500 km to the moon’s surface, and from that vantage point Hansen has said the moon will look like a basketball held at arm’s length.

...

"The crew will make their lunar observations with real-time data analysis, guidance provided by a team of scientists and the knowledge acquired through their geology training in Labrador, Iceland and in class to describe surface textures, shapes, and colours, providing valuable data for future exploration of the moon,” reads a news release from the Canadian Space Agency.

The flyby promises views of the moon’s far side that were too dark or too difficult to see by the 24 Apollo astronauts who preceded them.

...