Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen highlighted that Earth's gravity has visibly shaped the near side of the satellite, while the dark side presents fewer dark seas and significant geological differences, which he described as "truly fascinating."
Hansen also described the moment when the spacecraft lost contact with Earth while flying over the dark side of the Moon. Despite the total disconnection, he explained that the crew remained focused on scientific experiments, fully trusting the spacecraft and mission control.
Commander Reid Wiseman shared a more human detail: the astronauts shared maple cream cookies during those 30 seconds without communication. A symbolic gesture to "honor" a moment he described as surreal.
The historic NASA mission marks the return to manned lunar exploration and a key step towards future moon landings, with sights set on the lunar south pole and, in the long term, Mars.