NASA has released new photos from the Artemis II mission, showcasing the Moon, the Earth, the launch, and the interior of the Orion spacecraft.

New Space Photos

One image of the Moon captures a portion of the Orientale basin, a 600-mile-wide shadowed crater that serves as a transition region between the near and far sides of the Moon. According to NASA, this region has previously only been seen by robotic imagers, never by humans.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch stated that the crew’s first views of the lunar far side have been “absolutely spectacular.”

“Something about you senses, ‘That is not the Moon that I’m used to seeing,’” Koch said.

Astronauts in the spaceship have stated that the Moon continues to grow larger outside of their window, as is captured in the released images. One photo taken by a camera on Orion’s solar array wings on the second day of the mission shows the Moon in the distance.

Artemis II has also captured images of Earth, showing a perspective of our planet that hasn’t been seen since the Apollo era of space exploration. Another image from the third day of the mission shows the Earth appearing as a crescent as part of the planet was obscured in nighttime darkness.

Some of the new photos provide a POV look at space from the astronaut’s perspective, including one where astronaut Christina Koch is looking outside a window at the Earth. The photo was accomplished by turning off the majority of Orion’s lights to avoid glare on the windows.

The spacecraft itself is also equipped to take “selfies,” with high-resolution cameras attached to the solar arrays of the shuttle, Moon, and Earth. This provides a unique perspective of the capsule in space.

The crew has made live appearances on camera throughout NASA’s broadcast of the mission, providing a closer look at life in space.