NASA's Artemis 2 mission conducted a historic lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, featuring four astronauts from NASA's Apollo 13 mission, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, who set a new spaceflight record. The Apollo 2 mission is the first to send astronauts beyond the moon since 1972. The mission's mission, named "Integrity," included a capsule that was launched from the moon's "sphere of influence" where lunar gravity is stronger than Earth. The astronauts crossed another threshold, reaching a maximum distance from Earth of about 252,756 miles (406,771 km) just after 7:00 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT). The mission was not a sightseeing cruise but a rare research opportunity, with the astronauts observing the moon for hours, studying its surface for hours to learn about its subtle variations in color and texture. The team hopes to break the record soon.