Artemis astronauts will observe the lunar far side and may spot a Chinese rocket wreck

Artemis II's Orion crew is flying farther from Earth than any humans have gone to observe the Moon's far side, with 10 science objectives and 35 targets to photograph; they may also look for a 2022 double crater linked to a Chang'e 5‑T1 rocket impact.

NASA's Artemis II mission is carrying a four-person crew on a flyby that will take them farther from Earth than previous human missions. The Orion capsule entered the Moon's gravitational influence early Monday and will be pulled around the far side before being slingshotted back toward Earth. During a roughly six-hour observation window the astronauts will work shifts to record detailed views of areas of the lunar far side that humans have not seen directly. The crew has been assigned science tasks to photograph craters, surface shades and other features from Orion's windows. Planned observations: - Orion carries commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. - NASA has listed 10 science objectives and 35 observation targets for the Artemis II crew to record during the flyby. - The crew may look for a double crater near the Hertzsprung Basin produced by an impact on March 2, 2022, which researchers linked to a Chang'e 5‑T1 rocket stage. - University of Arizona researchers reported the double crater and an unusual tumbling motion that suggested the spent rocket stage may have carried an additional payload or counterweight; US Space Command said the rocket's third stage never reentered Earth's atmosphere. - Major targets include the Orientale Basin, the South Pole–Aitken basin, and individual craters such as Ohm, Pierazzo and Glushko, which are noted for distinct brightness or relative youth. - The crew will also watch for micrometeorite impact flashes and dust lofted above the lunar horizon, and they will experience a total solar eclipse lasting almost an hour during the flyby. Summary: These observations aim to capture subtle surface details that trained human observers can record and to document features of scientific interest on the far side. The crew will carry out their six-hour observation tasks while Orion swings around the Moon and returns toward Earth, then continue data collection as scheduled during the return phase.