Artemis, Apollo 13 and moon
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HOUSTON (AP) — Still aglow from their triumphant lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts put in a call to their friends aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as they headed home from the moon.
The four astronauts channeled Apollo 8’s famous Earthrise shot from 1968 with their own: Earthset, showing our planet setting behind the gray, pockmarked moon. Another photo captures the total solar eclipse that occurred when the moon blocked the sun from the crew’s perspective.
The crew of the Artemis II was greeted by the song “Good Morning” and a special message from Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell, which was recorded before his death last year.
The Artemis II crew is awake and beginning preparations for today’s lunar flyby — a first for humans since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Astronaut Jim Lovell, who flew on two Apollo-era missions in 1968 and 1970, recorded a message for the Artemis II crew before his death in 2025.
Fans were eager to see the Artemis II crew's recreation of the “Earthrise” photo taken by Apollo 8 on Dec. 24, 1968 by William Anders. The iconic picture shows Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the Apollo 8 crew circumnavigated the Moon.