What does our planet look like from space? NASA releases historic footage

As part of the "Artemis II" lunar mission, unique images of Earth have been captured from the "Orion" spacecraft. In these shots, our planet is depicted as a thin crescent—at first glance, it could easily be mistaken for the Moon. This marks the first time since the conclusion of the Apollo program in 1972 that humanity has been able to see its home from such a colossal distance.

The Artemis II mission launched early on the morning of April 2 from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, USA. This flight is the first manned launch beyond low Earth orbit in over half a century.

The released images allow for a detailed view of not only the illuminated part of Earth but also the side shrouded in night shadow. Currently, "Orion" is traveling on a free-return trajectory without landing on the lunar surface. Observations conducted during the mission are expected to help scientists gain a deeper understanding of the formation processes of the Moon and the Solar System. They will also allow for a detailed study of lunar landscapes, including ancient craters, lava flows, and mountain ranges.

This historic flight signals the beginning of a new era in deep space exploration and the return of humanity to the Moon.