We were lucky to follow the Artemis II mission live, getting real-time updates of the astronauts as they flew around the moon. And thanks to the advanced tech that surrounded the mission, NASA was able to share some high-res images taken by the astronauts before they even returned to Earth. These included Earthset, a solar eclipse from their perspective, and detailed images of the dark side of the moon.
Now, NASA has released an additional 12,000 images spanning the whole mission. While the original batch will surely go down in history, these are more candid, showing the human side of the mission. They evoke how the astronauts spent most of their time above; documenting the experience for us, devoting their time for the greater good, and making us part of the trip.
While the amount of images may seem unimaginable, many are bursts of images that are almost identical to each other, or taken a few seconds before the camera focused on the desired subject, resulting in blurry images. Still, there’s something powerful in the more imperfect shots, as they candidly capture the kind of images anyone would take during their travels. (Ultimately, the astronauts were similar to tourists; instead of traveling to an exotic location on Earth, they took a trip to the moon.) In these photos, you can see the astronauts’ reflections, the edge of a window, or even a slightly out-of-focus image showing the view of the stars from the ship.
The Artemis II crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen—took these images with a Nikon D5 SLR, Nikon Z9 mirrorless, and iPhone 17 cameras they brought on board. They also forwent individual credits, with the images being attributed to the whole group.
You can check out the images on the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth website, but beware that between the number of pictures and the people who want to browse them, the site can be slow. That’s why we’ve gathered a selection of some of the most memorable images, which you can check out below. While you’re at it, make sure to revisit the first images NASA shared from Artemis II.
Check out some of the best images of NASA’s newly released images taken by astronauts of the Artemis II mission.
This new batch includes 12,000 previously unseen pictures.
The images capture candid shots taken by the astronauts during the flyby.
The photos include equipment from inside the spacecraft and reflections seen on the windows.
All images via NASA.
Related Articles:
How NASA’s Artemis II Mission Made History After a Successful Splashdown Back to Earth
NASA’s Artemis II Crew Name Newly Discovered Moon Crater After Astronaut’s Late Wife, Carroll
NASA Shares Breathtaking Images From the Artemis II Lunar Flyby
People Are Sharing Proof Their Pets Watched Artemis II—and NASA Is Responding