Moon-bound Artemis II astronauts enjoy a relaxed day in space

Space Moon-bound Artemis II astronauts enjoy a relaxed day in space By William Harwood William Harwood CBS News Space Consultant Bill Harwood has been covering the U.S. space program full-time since 1984, first as Cape Canaveral bureau chief for United Press International and now as a consultant for CBS News. Read Full Bio William Harwood Updated on: April 3, 2026 / 7:27 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The moon-bound Artemis II astronauts, enjoying spectacular views of Earth as it recedes behind them, took a break to chat with their families Friday before reviewing plans for closely observing the moon from the unique perspective of the lunar far side Monday.Their flight plan for Friday also included rehearsals of basic medical procedures — including chest compressions and methods to clear airway obstructions — to help prepare future Orion crews for possible emergencies in deep space. As the Orion capsule was pulling away from Earth late Thursday, April 2, 2026, commander Reid Wiseman captured a stunning view of the home planet, showing northern Africa, the Strait of Gibraltar, the lush coast of Brazil across the Atlantic Ocean and shimmering auroral displays over the poles. NASA Plans to fine-tune the spacecraft's approach to the moon with an "outbound trajectory correction" maneuver, or OTC, were called off because the precisely aimed Orion spacecraft remained almost perfectly on course.But the highlights of the crew's day in space, at least for armchair astronauts on Earth, were jaw-dropping photos of the home planet from the vantage point of deep space.Two photos captured by Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman Thursday, shortly after a rocket firing that boosted the crew out of Earth orbit toward the moon, showed a full Earth suspended in the black of space.The side of the planet facing the Orion capsule was in darkness, but a time exposure, captured a few seconds later, showed a clear view of northern Africa, the Strait of Gibraltar and the gr...