Astronauts aboard Artemis II homebound after historic and record-breaking moon mission — BBC News

[0:00] President Trump has spoken to the crew of the Artemis II and heaped praise on their achievements. [0:06] He said they had made history and made America proud. The NASA moon mission is moving back to [0:11] Earth after completing its flyby of the far side of the moon. The four astronauts were out of [0:19] contact with ground control for about 40 minutes as they flew around part of the moon that's not [0:24] visible from Earth. Mission control waited patiently for the signal to be re-established. [0:30] The NASA crew also observed a total solar eclipse. They said the eclipse was truly hard to describe. [0:39] On Sunday, the astronauts set a new record for the furthest distance that humans have traveled from [0:44] Earth. They exceeded the distance they reached by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970. The team will not land [0:53] on the lunar surface during its mission but will instead now return to Earth. Our science editor, [0:59] Rebecca Morell, sent this report from Houston. A close encounter with the moon. A view that humans [1:12] haven't witnessed for more than 50 years and some parts that have never been seen by human eyes before. [1:30] Earlier in the flight, the four Artemis astronauts made history. Integrity crew, on April 15th, 1970, [1:39] during the Apollo 13 mission. Three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled [1:46] from our home planet. Today, for all humanity, you're pushing beyond that frontier. [1:52] As these four astronauts voyaged onwards, they named some of the moon's features. A crater now called Integrity [1:59] after their spacecraft, and another named after Artemis Commander Reed Wiseman's late wife, who died six [2:05] years ago. [2:08] And so we have one... [2:42] Integrity and Carol Crater, loud and clear. Thank you. [2:46] After breaking the record, the crew just kept on going, surpassing it by more than 4,000 miles, [2:54] with their lights dimmed in the capsule to take the best pictures. A treasure trove that's eagerly awaited by [3:00] the team at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Science is playing a big part in this mission. [3:07] There's even a special desk for it. The science officer sits right at the front, just over there. [3:13] But the hard work is really just beginning because the thousands of images and descriptions the astronauts [3:18] have made will be poured over for many months to come. While they made the flyby, a communications blackout. [3:26] Houston copies. We'll see you on the other side. We will see you. [3:30] As the signal from the spacecraft was blocked by the moon itself. [3:36] A tense 40-minute wait at mission control. Then... [3:39] Houston, Integrity, we have you loud and clear. [3:47] Houston, we have you the same again. [3:52] After the flyby, a surprise message from US President Donald Trump. [3:58] I wanted to congratulate each and every one of you. And tell me, what is the most unforgettable part of [4:04] this really historic day? [4:06] We saw sites that no human has ever seen before, not even in Apollo. And that was amazing for us. [4:11] I think one of the biggest highlights was coming back from the far side of the moon and having the first glimpses of planet Earth again. [4:19] With their flyby complete, the astronauts are now starting their long journey back home. [4:25] Rebecca Morrell, BBC News at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. [4:29] Well, with me is our science correspondent, Palab Ghosh. [4:34] And Palab, you've been following this journey for days. You were there at the Kennedy Center for the launch itself. [4:40] What do you make of what they've achieved, especially in the last 12 hours with this flyby? [4:44] It was spine-tingling, wasn't it? Just watching Rebecca's report just brought back that whole night. [4:51] So many records broken. The distance record, going to the far side, seeing things that no one has seen before, [4:59] including an eclipse from deep space. An awful lot to take in. [5:04] But for me, the key message was remembering the Apollo missions. I'm old enough to remember Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon. [5:14] And back then, there was a huge sense of optimism at a time when the war was divided by wars and civil stripes. [5:23] And it seems like we're at that same moment again. And despite all the pessimistic stuff that's going on, [5:29] for a moment in time, we can start thinking of the world as one planet rather than something that's divided. [5:36] And the inspirational human messages from the crew, they were all very uplifting. Naming the crater [5:43] after not just their space capsule, but the deceased wife of the commander, Reed Wiseman. [5:51] You could hear the emotion in their voices. When they came back around the far side of the moon, [5:57] you heard Christina Koch saying, it's great to see you back again. And this is the thing that's [6:03] different about this mission rather than so many robotic missions. You've got four astronauts being [6:09] the eyes and ears of all of us. And we're experiencing what they experience. That's not the same when you [6:16] just send a robot up there. [6:18] And we have other moon missions to look forward to, hopefully. NASA going back with another crewed mission [6:25] and then hopefully to actually land on the moon again. But they're also going to face challenges [6:30] from countries like China as well. [6:33] Well, China, having the capability of going to the moon, just kind of kick-started a new space race. [6:40] There have been decades that America has chosen not to go to the moon because there seemed to be no reason for it. [6:46] It was only when China entered the race that President Trump, during his first term, commissioned [6:52] the Artemis programme. And of course, what we had last night, thrilling as it was, [6:58] was a test flight in order to get America to land on the moon again. And so far, [7:03] this mission has gone flawlessly. I have to say, I was sceptical as to whether they could get to that [7:09] target of landing on the moon by 2028. I have to say, it's still ambitious. I'm still not sure [7:15] whether they can make it in that time. But because of the way this mission has gone, [7:20] I'm more optimistic they can hit that target than I was last night. [7:24] And now it's a crucial part of making sure that they return home safely. [7:28] Of course, that is the most crucial part because it's not just about sending astronauts back to the [7:33] moon. It's about bringing them back safely. Reentry is the most tricky part of the mission. [7:40] There were issues with the heat shield on the first Artemis mission. So we have to wait and see, [7:48] keep our fingers crossed that the crew in a few days time reenter the Earth's atmosphere. And that [7:54] will be a truly flawless mission.