Moon-bound Artemis II astronauts enjoy a relaxed day in space
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The Artemis II astronauts continued their long coast to the moon, capturing stunning photos along the way.
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Space Moon-bound Artemis II astronauts enjoy a relaxed day in space By William Harwood William Harwood CBS News Space Consultant Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News. Read Full Bio William Harwood Updated on: April 3, 2026 / 7:27 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The moon-bound Artemis II astronauts, enjoying spectacular views of Earth as it recedes behind them, took a break to chat with their families Friday before reviewing plans for closely observing the moon from the unique perspective of the lunar far side Monday. Their flight plan for Friday also included rehearsals of basic medical procedures — including chest compressions and methods to clear airway obstructions — to help prepare future Orion crews for possible emergencies in deep space. Plans to fine-tune the spacecraft's approach to the moon with an "outbound trajectory correction" maneuver, or OTC, were called off because the precisely aimed Orion spacecraft remained almost perfectly on course. But the highlights of the crew's day in space, at least for armchair astronauts on Earth, were jaw-dropping photos of the home planet from the vantage point of deep space. Two photos captured by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman Thursday, shortly after a rocket firing that boosted the crew out of Earth orbit toward the moon, showed a full Earth suspended in the black of space. The side of the planet facing the Orion capsule was in darkness, but a time exposure, captured a few seconds later, showed a clear view of northern Africa, the Strait of Gibraltar and the green coast of Brazil on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Also visible: colorful auroral displays over the poles and sunlight peeking around one side. Yet another shot showed the blue-and-white planet framed in a cockpit window, an image that captured the gulf between the four Artemis II crew members and ...
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