NASA has released the first images taken by Artemis II astronauts from the far side of the moon, providing Earth with its latest ‘selfie’. These high-resolution photographs, reminiscent of the iconic 'Earthrise' image, were captured during a flyby that demonstrated NASA's capability to safely execute crewed lunar missions.

During their seven-hour approach, the Orion spacecraft's crew documented the lunar topography from 6,000 to 7,000 kilometers away. The sharpness of these images was due to professional photographic equipment aboard the craft. While other astronauts had visited this area before, none were equipped with such advanced technology.

The primary objective of Artemis II was to prove that a crewed trip around the moon could be accomplished without issues. However, the astronauts also performed scientific tasks, including terrain reconnaissance and observing solar phenomena. The human return to the lunar surface is scheduled for Artemis IV, before 2030.

The new images will help improve lunar maps and aid in identifying areas that may contain essential resources such as frozen water, crucial for future human presence on the moon. Structures near the south pole are considered the most promising due to their almost permanent shadow after 4.5 billion years.

After completing the flyby, Orion embarked on a four-day journey back to Earth, with plans to enter the atmosphere on April 10 and splash down in the Pacific Ocean.