O2O will enable high-definition video transmission of the lunar far side during Artemis II.
NASA assigned Artemis II astronauts a list of 30 lunar targets to observe during the mission.
Artemis II launched on Wednesday, April 1, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft.
Artemis II is a crewed NASA mission to the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft.
Artemis II is conducting a lunar flyby.
Artemis II will validate Orion's environmental control and life support system in deep space, with emphasis on thermal management and cabin pressure.
During Artemis II's next pass over the far side of the Moon, communications between Orion and NASA's Houston control center will be interrupted for about 40 minutes.
During Artemis II, the crew will complete two orbits around Earth before traveling nearly 5,000 miles beyond the far side of the Moon on a free-return trajectory.
Artemis II will carry Orion to a closest approach of about 6,900 kilometers above the Moon, within a broader range of 6,500 to 9,500 kilometers depending on launch timing.
Artemis II surpassed Apollo 13's 1970 distance record of 248,655 miles at approximately 1:56 p.m. EDT on Monday.
The Artemis II crew will photograph the lunar far side with high-resolution images of craters, ancient lava flows, and geologic features using direct sunlight.
The Artemis II crew suggested that another crater be named Carroll in honor of Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman.
Artemis II is the first crewed test flight of the Artemis program.
Artemis II carries NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen aboard the Orion spacecraft.
NASA launched Artemis II on April 1 with four astronauts.
Artemis II flew by the Moon and around its farside on April 6.
Artemis II carried Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen to the Moon for the first time for a woman, a black person, and a Canadian/non-American astronaut.
The Artemis II crew's closest approach to the Moon was scheduled for 23:02 UTC at 6,543 km.
L3Harris Technologies contributed more than 100 separate elements to Artemis II, including in-space thrusters, 40 advanced avionics systems, and the Orion audio system.
Artemis II’s spacecraft Integrity was on its way to the Moon on 2026-04-06.