NASA Releases Never-Before-Seen Image of the Moon
Posted on 04/08/26 at 18:30
- NASA reveals never-before-seen image of the Moon
- Artemis II mission progresses
- Far side of the Moon amazes the world
NASA published this Sunday an unprecedented photograph of the Moon’s far side, according to EFE, marking a milestone tied to the NASA lunar exploration.
The image was captured by the crew of the Artemis II mission.
It represents a key moment in the return of crewed missions to Earth’s natural satellite.
Unpublished image of the Moon’s far side
The Artemis II mission, with its astronauts, will carry out a historic flyby of the Moon’s far side this Monday, April 6 at 13:45 Ecuador time. For six hours, the crew will take photographs of the surface from the Orion spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/pzGYt9t1Zf
— amaranta la buena (@Amarantalabuena) April 5, 2026
Why it matters: The photograph shows a region that had never been fully observed by human eyes, reinforcing the importance of the NASA Moon far side image.
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It also marks progress in lunar exploration after more than half a century.
A never-before-seen image of the Moon
NASA released a photograph of the Moon captured by a member of the Artemis II crew through the window of the Orion capsule as they approach their lunar target.
Here we have zoomed in👇 https://t.co/K0IAnbY3l1 pic.twitter.com/gDxd6RlyOb
— maltratador 2025 (@maltratador2025) April 5, 2026
The image was taken Saturday from the Orion spacecraft.
It shows the Moon in an unusual orientation.
The South Pole appears pointing upward.
The Orientale Basin can also be seen in its entirety.
According to NASA, this region had never been fully seen by humans.
The image represents a visual milestone within the Artemis II mission and strengthens interest in the NASA Moon far side image.
The astronauts continue approaching their main objective.
They are one day away from reaching lunar orbit.
This will make the mission the first crewed one to achieve this in more than 50 years.
The Artemis II mission progresses
One last look at Earth before we reach the Moon.
This view of the Earth was captured on April 5, the fourth day of the Artemis II mission, from inside the Orion spacecraft. The four astronauts will reach their closest approach of the Moon tomorrow, April 6. pic.twitter.com/z2NJUGWkKc
— NASA (@NASA) April 5, 2026
The Artemis II mission crew consists of four astronauts.
The commander is Reid Wiseman.
He is joined by Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
During Sunday, they carried out key checks.
They reviewed a detailed list of observation points.
These correspond to features on the lunar surface.
They will be photographed during the scheduled flyby.
The trajectory includes six hours facing the Moon.
This will occur on the afternoon of Monday, April 6.
At that moment, the Orion spacecraft windows will point directly toward the satellite.
The Artemis II mission has also set a record.
It has traveled 406,773 kilometers from Earth.
This is the greatest distance recorded in a crewed mission.
A flyby with critical moments
The mission does not include a landing.
However, the pass over the far side will be crucial for the NASA lunar exploration.
During that segment, communication will be lost.
Radio contact with mission control will be interrupted for about 40 minutes.
According to NASA, this interruption is fully controlled.
It is part of the mission plan.
After completing the flyby, the crew will begin their return journey.
The total trip will last ten days.
Landing is scheduled for Friday.
The Orion capsule will splash down in the ocean.
The landing point will be off the coast of San Diego.
The Artemis II mission is thus established as a key step.
Not only because of the captured image of the Moon’s far side.
But also due to the human return to the lunar environment.
And the preparation for more ambitious future missions centered around lunar exploration.
