The Artemis II mission — the first crewed journey to the Moon in more than half a century — made history during its lunar flyby on Monday afternoon.

On board the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, are four astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Together, they surpassed the record for the farthest distance from Earth ever traveled by humans, previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970 at approximately 248,655 miles.

Speaking to mission control, Hansen emphasized the significance of the milestone, noting that the crew will continue venturing even farther into space before beginning their return to Earth. He also issued an inspiring call for future generations to surpass this new record, reinforcing the mission’s spirit of exploration.

In a touching tribute, the crew proposed naming an unnamed lunar crater “Carroll,” in honor of Wiseman’s late wife — adding a deeply personal element to this historic achievement.

During the approximately seven-hour lunar flyby, the astronauts are capturing images and conducting observations of the Moon’s surface. At one point, Orion passes behind the Moon, resulting in a temporary 40-minute loss of communication with Earth — a planned but tense phase of the mission.

The mission has also delivered emotional moments. Pilot Victor Glover, for example, sent a heartfelt message from space to his wife: “I love you… from the Moon,” touching both the mission team and viewers watching live.

Meanwhile, both the crew and mission control have embraced the phrase “Moon joy” to describe the extraordinary experience of traveling through deep space — a simple expression capturing the awe of the moment.

After completing the flyby, Orion will begin its journey back to Earth. The Artemis II mission, lasting approximately 10 days, is expected to conclude with reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

More than just breaking a record, this mission marks a critical step toward the future of space exploration, paving the way for sustained human presence on the Moon — and eventually, missions to Mars.