NASA’s Artemis II mission is poised to set a new human distance record today, and viewers around the world can watch the historic lunar flyby live. The mission, which launched successfully on April 1, has traveled roughly 39,000 miles through space. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen are now set to journey farther from Earth than any humans in history. Live coverage of the event is available for free on NASA’s YouTube channel and on the NASA+ website, beginning at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. For subscribers, the broadcast is also accessible through Netflix. The timeline for key milestones is packed into the afternoon and evening. The first major event is expected at approximately 1:56 PM ET, when Artemis II will surpass the distance record set by the Apollo 13 mission back in 1970. The Orion spacecraft will then begin its official lunar flyby at 2:45 PM ET. The spacecraft is scheduled to make its closest approach to the Moon’s surface at about 7:02 PM ET. Just minutes later, around 7:07 PM ET, it will reach its maximum distance from our home planet. A unique celestial spectacle awaits the crew about an hour after that. At 8:35 PM ET, positioned on the far side of the Moon, the astronauts will witness a total solar eclipse that will not be visible from Earth. This rare perspective makes it a highlight of the broadcast for many space enthusiasts. For those unable to watch the entire multi-hour stream, tuning in for the record-breaking moment, the close lunar approach, or the exclusive solar eclipse view are recommended ways to catch a piece of space history in the making.
