Artemis II crew sets new record as farthest humans from Earth
01:31, 07/04/2026, TuesdayU: Update: 01:32, 07/04/2026, Tuesday
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NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch walk out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building before heading to pad 39B for the Artemis II launch aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at the Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The crew will journey around the moon aboard the Orion spacecraft for more than nine days before splashing down in the Pacific.NASA has announced that the Artemis II mission crew has become the farthest humans ever to travel from Earth, reaching a distance of 252,752 miles (406,700 kilometers). The achievement surpasses the five-decade-old record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.
NASA confirmed Monday that the astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission have broken the record for the greatest distance traveled from Earth by any human crew. In a video posted on X, the space agency revealed that the crew reached a maximum distance of 252,752 miles (406,700 kilometers) from our planet, marking a significant new milestone in human space exploration. The achievement surpasses the previous record by approximately 4,102 miles.
Apollo 13’s long-standing record falls
The previous record had been held for more than five decades by the Apollo 13 mission, which launched in April 1970. That mission, famously marked by an onboard explosion that forced the crew to circle the Moon rather than land, had held the title for the farthest humans had ever traveled from Earth. Artemis II’s successful voyage now replaces that chapter in spaceflight history.
Türkiye’s growing interest in space exploration
While Türkiye’s primary focus remains on regional stability and economic development, Ankara has also invested in its own space program in recent years. The Turkish Space Agency (TUA) was established in 2018, and Türkiye successfully sent its first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, to the International Space Station in 2024. The Artemis II record serves as an inspiration for emerging space nations, including Türkiye, which aims to expand its capabilities in satellite technology and lunar exploration. As global powers push the boundaries of human spaceflight, Türkiye continues to develop its strategic presence in space while maintaining its commitment to peaceful scientific cooperation.