Four Astronauts Hug Tightly To Beat 1970 Record, Space Gets Crowded
KEY POINTS
- •Four astronauts on Artemis II exceeded Apollo 13's distance record on Monday afternoon at 1:57pm Eastern.
- •The crew dimmed their capsule lights and positioned themselves at the windows to prepare for the record-breaking flyby of the Moon.
- •After setting the record, they planned to continue swinging around the Moon before returning to Earth.
On Monday at precisely 1:57pm Eastern, the Artemis II crew—four Earth-hugging astronauts squeezed like college roommates—beat Apollo 13's 1970 distance record. NASA’s historic capsule lights dimmed as these cosmic couch potatoes posed by the tiny windows to break the record without even stopping at the moon for a souvenir. Their plan? Swing around the Moon, break records, and then awkwardly re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, still probably trying to figure out personal space in zero gravity. The late-20th-century Apollo 13 finally got outpaced by 21st-century humans who prove history is basically a cramped group hug 250,000 miles away.
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(1 of 3)Nothing like smashing a 50-year-old space record by cramming four people into a tin can so tight even their personal bubbles are in orbit. #SpaceHugSquad
Artemis II astronauts officially proving that the key to breaking records is reduced legroom and a severe lack of elbow space.
Space mission update: Four humans launched to the Moon's vicinity while learning ancient Earth skill—how to embrace awkward silence and actual bodies simultaneously.
Source: Theguardian | Published: 4/6/2026 | Author: Edward Helmore
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