Artemis II astronauts fly by the Moon today: follow along with <i>Nature</i> live

NASA's Artemis II mission is currently on course for a historic lunar flyby. The crew, consisting of astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, is set to break the distance record for crewed missions. This record was previously held by Apollo 13 in 1970. The Artemis II mission launched successfully on April 1 and has traveled approximately 39,000 miles through space. The crew is expected to fly farther from Earth than any humans have before, with the milestone occurring at approximately 1:56 PM ET today. The Orion spacecraft will begin its flyby of the Moon at 2:45 PM ET, with its closest approach to the lunar surface anticipated shortly thereafter. As part of the mission, the astronauts are sharing historic photos of Earth and testing key systems for future lunar missions. Additionally, they are addressing issues with the spacecraft's toilet system. The entire flyby event is being streamed live by NASA on YouTube and its NASA+ website, with coverage starting at 1 PM ET. Viewers can also access NASA+ through Netflix. This mission represents a significant step for humankind, as the Artemis II crew will glimpse parts of the Moon that have never been seen by the naked eye. The event is being closely followed by space enthusiasts and the general public alike, marking a pivotal moment in space exploration history.