Artemis II Crew Returns from Moon Flyby as Fastest Living Humans, Receives Mission Patch
NASA's Artemis II crew completed a 10-day lunar flyby mission in early April, reaching speeds of approximately 24,664 mph during reentry and traveling farther from Earth than any humans in history at 406,771 km. The four-person crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — have now been recognized with an official mission patch. The mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's Artemis program, representing humanity's return to deep space travel for the first time since the Apollo era.
NASA's Artemis II crew successfully completed a 10-day mission in early April that took them farther from Earth than any humans have ever traveled, reaching a distance of 52,756 miles (406,771 km) beyond Earth during their lunar flyby. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency mission specialist Jeremy Hansen flew aboard the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity. On their return, the crew reached reentry speeds of approximately 24,664 mph (39,693 kph), making them the fastest living humans. Only the Apollo 10 crew — Thomas Stafford, John Young, and Eugene Cernan — have traveled faster, setting the all-time crewed vehicle speed record of 24,791 mph on May 26, 1969. The crew has since been awarded a mission patch commemorating their historic journey. The Artemis II mission represents a major step in NASA's broader goal of returning humans to the lunar surface.
What's missing
It is unclear from available coverage whether Artemis II included any scientific experiments or secondary objectives beyond the crewed lunar flyby itself, and no details about the next Artemis missions or timeline are provided.
How coverage differed
Coverage from Ars Technica frames the story with an enthusiastic, celebratory tone, emphasizing record-breaking achievements. Only one source was available, limiting cross-source bias comparison.
What different sources said
- Ars TechnicaCenter
The fastest humans in the galaxy just got a spiffy patch to prove it
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