April 6, 2026, update as of 22:00 PM Israel time (UTC +3). The Artemis II crew surpassed the record of Apollo 13, making a historic pass around the moon and entering a window of scientific observations, communications cutoff, and a solar eclipse as seen from the spacecraft * Special coverage on the Hidan website
The Artemis II crewed mission entered its most central and symbolic phase on April 6, 2026: the lunar orbiter. After launching on April 1 at 18:35 p.m. EST, the Orion spacecraft embarked on a ten-day journey around the moon and back to Earth. This is the first crewed lunar orbiter since Apollo 17 in 1972, and a critical step toward returning humans to an ongoing lunar exploration program under Artemis. (NASA)
Even before the sixth day of flight began, Orion entered the moon's gravitational field at 00:37 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or 07:37 a.m. Israeli time. NASA defined this as the moment when the moon's gravity becomes stronger than that of the Earth for the spacecraft. Astronaut Christina Cook described it in the words: "Now we are falling toward the moon instead of away from the Earth." This transition marked the beginning of the day when Orion is supposed to orbit the far side of the moon and begin the journey back. (NASA)
NASA's live broadcast of the sixth day of the Artemis mission, the lunar orbit
Record distance for a manned spacecraft from Earth
Later that day, the team set a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth. According to an official NASA update at 20:56 p.m. Eastern Time, or 13:56 p.m. Israeli time, Reed Weisman, Victor Glover, Christina Cook and Jeremy Hansen surpassed the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. Later reports from Reuters and the AP added that Orion had reached a distance of about 252,760 miles, or 406,780 kilometers, from Earth, further extending the historic record. (NASA)
The lunar orbit is not just a symbolic achievement, but also a real scientific mission. According to NASA, the science team prepared a list of 30 lunar surface observation sites for the astronauts, while Space.com reported 35 targets related to 10 scientific objectives. Among the most notable sites: Orientale Basin, a massive impact crater nearly 600 miles wide, about 966 kilometers, that crosses the near and far sides of the moon, as well as the older Hertzsprung Basin, nearly 400 miles wide, about 644 kilometers. NASA hopes that comparing the geological structures of the two basins will help understand how lunar impact craters change over billions of years. (NASA)
The schedule for Day 6 also illustrates just how busy this is. The observation window began at 21:45 p.m. Israel time. At 01:44 a.m. on the night of April 6-7, Orion was scheduled to enter a planned communications blackout when it passed behind the moon, and the duration of the blackout was estimated to be about 40 minutes. The point of maximum proximity to the moon was set for 02:02 a.m. Israel time, at an altitude of about 4,070 miles, which is about 6,550 kilometers, above the surface. Five minutes later, at 02:07 a.m., the spacecraft was also scheduled to reach its maximum distance from Earth. The resumption of communication was scheduled for 02:25 a.m., and then a window was also set for viewing a total solar eclipse as it would appear from Orion, starting at 03:35 a.m. Israel time and lasting about 53 minutes. (NASA)
At the same time, NASA is broadcasting the live transit around the moon on NASA+, YouTube and other streaming platforms, also using cameras mounted on Orion's solar arrays. The agency warned in advance that image quality may vary due to the great distance, system limitations and bandwidth of the communication network. Even if this transit does not include a landing, it is considered the most important competency test yet of Orion and the entire Artemis system: the ability to bring humans to the lunar environment, operate systems, make scientific observations and return the crew safely to Earth. (NASA)
Barring any untoward incident, Artemis II's sixth flight day will be remembered as the day humanity not only returned to the Moon after more than five decades, but also recrossed the psychological and technological boundary between Earth orbit and deep space exploration. Artemis II is not just a repeat of Apollo's achievements; it is a test of the transition to an era in which the Moon once again becomes an operational, scientific, and strategic target for the United States and its partners. (AP News)
Previous articles in the special coverage
