NASA released the very first images taken by astronauts aboard the Artemis II Orion capsule as they are making their way to the moon.
The stunning pictures were taken by mission commander Reid Wiseman using his Personal Computing Device — a tablet that includes a camera — and they are both views of Earth.
The first one was described by NASA mission control at Johnson Space Center in Houston as a “reminder that no matter how far we go, we are still one world, watching, hoping and reaching higher.”
The second image was taken from one of the Orion spacecraft’s windows, another view of the Earth described as a “pale blue dot seen through the crew’s eyes.”
On April 3, NASA shared one of the first photos taken by the Artemis II crew during the mission. NASA
The images pair well with some remarks made by mission specialist Christina Koch during a downlink event with media on Day 2 of the flight.
“Having just experienced incredible views of planet Earth, and seeing the entire planet out the window in one pane, knowing that we’re about to have some similar views of the moon in that same way is definitely getting me more excited for it,” she said. “I knew that that is what we would see. But there’s nothing that prepares you for the breathtaking aspect of seeing your home planet both lit up bright as day and also the moon glow on it at night, with the beautiful beam of the sunset. And knowing that we’re going to get similar views of the moon. I’m just, I’m really excited for that.”
During the same conversation, Wiseman said: “There was a moment about an hour ago where Mission Control Houston reoriented our spacecraft as the sun was setting behind the Earth. And I don’t know what we all expected to see at that moment, but you could see the entire globe, from pole to pole. You could see Africa, Europe, and if you looked really close, you could see the northern lights. It was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks.”
In pictures: The historic Artemis II moon mission 21 photos On April 3, NASA shared one of the first photos taken by the Artemis II crew during the mission. Reid Wiseman/NASA In pictures: The historic Artemis II moon mission One of the first photos released from the mission shows Earth from the Orion spacecraft’s window, after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2. Two auroras can be seen at the top right and bottom left, and zodiacal light (bottom right) is visible as the Earth eclipses the Sun. Reid Wiseman/NASA Earth peeks behind a window of the Orion spacecraft. NASA NASA's Artemis II mission launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday, April 1. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man in Titusville, Florida, takes a photo of the moon after watching the launch. Marco Bello/Reuters People react to the launch in Titusville. Marco Bello/Reuters In this long-exposure photo, the Artemis II rocket leaves behind a trail of dust. Keegan Barber/NASA The livestream of the launch is played at Dodger Stadium before a Major League Baseball game in Los Angeles. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images Bruno, a child dressed as an astronaut, watches a live broadcast of the launch in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters Loved ones and colleagues wave to the Artemis II crew as they leave for the launchpad. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images From left, Artemis II astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch walk out before traveling to the launchpad to board the Orion spacecraft. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images NASA-themed buttons are displayed as space enthusiasts gather at a Titusville park several hours before the launch. Miguel J Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP/Getty Images Space enthusiasts begin to gather at a park in Titusville, several hours before the launch. Miguel J Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP/Getty Images The Artemis II rocket and spacecraft is returned to a launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center on March 20. Just a few hours into a pre-launch test called a wet dress rehearsal in early February, launch controllers found that enough super-chilled liquid hydrogen fuel was leaking at the launchpad to prompt safety concerns. The hydrogen leaks kept cropping up, forcing NASA to halt fuel flow to the rocket multiple times. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images The full moon rises behind the Artemis II rocket and spacecraft before a wet dress rehearsal on February 1. John Kraus/NASA Children meet Artemis II crew members at the Kennedy Space Center on January 17. Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Redux The Artemis II mission patch is seen on the right shoulder of the suits that the crew will wear during the mission on January 17. Joel Kowsky/NASA NASA's Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule rolls from the vehicle assembly building to the launchpad on January 17. Joe Skipper/Reuters Glover and Koch participate in lunar observations training in a replica of the Orion spacecraft at Johnson Space Center in Houston in July 2025. James Blair/NASA Teams work to recover a full-scale replica of the Orion spacecraft as they practice Artemis recovery operations off the coast of California in March 2025. NASA and Department of Defense teams were practicing to recover the Artemis II crew after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Joel Kowsky/NASA The Artemis II core stage, the largest component of the rocket, is prepared for delivery in New Orleans in July 2024. Michael DeMocker/NASA From left, Hansen, Glover, Wiseman and Koch can be seen speaking on stage as they are announced as the Artemis II crew in Houston in April 2023. Go Nakamura/Reuters Prev Next In pictures: The historic Artemis II moon mission
Wiseman also noted that the windows of Orion are already dirty because the crew has enjoyed looking out of them so much. He asked for the right procedures to clean the windows.
The crew was busy snapping photos during a period that was going to include the crew’s very first meal in space together — but they postponed it a bit to look outside and take photos.
“We are getting just a beautiful view of the dark side of the Earth right now lit by the moon,” said Canadian Space Agency astronaut and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. “Phenomenal. None of us can get to lunch because we’re glued to the window. We’re taking pictures. Reid said he just can’t take it anymore.”
