In a stunning view taken by NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins from the International Space Station (ISS) and published on her Twitter account, the moon is seen hovering above the earth's misty-blue atmosphere.
NASA Artemis astronaut Jessica Watkins tweeted a photo of the moon taken from the International Space Station on June 9, 2022.
Feeling of Awe
"As beautiful as the Earth is, I can't seem to take my eyes off of the Moon. Every moonset on @Space_Station brings us one step closer to earthrise on the Moon as we conduct scientific research and develop new technologies that will help pave the way to the lunar surface," the Artemis astronaut wrote in the photo's caption.
Such sights captivate all astronauts, but Watkins' feeling of awe may be extra vivid because this is her first trip into space, according to Space.com.
She's one among the four astronauts on SpaceX's NASA-funded Crew-4 mission, which landed at the orbiting laboratory on April 27 for a six-month mission.
NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency are Watkins' fellow crewmates. In fact, Lindgren and Cristoforetti have both visited the ISS before.
Together with Lindgren, Watkins is a member of NASA's Artemis team, consisting of 18 astronauts who were tasked to fly in the space agency's moon exploration mission.
Read also: NASA Artemis I Offers Last Chance to 'Fly Your Name to the Moon': Here's How to Register
What is Artemis?
Orion and the Orbit Launch System (SLS) will launch into space for the first time from NASA's newly reconstructed Kennedy Space Center in Florida, confirming NASA's commitment to extending "human existence beyond the Moon and beyond."
Artemis I is the first of a series of more complex missions aimed at establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon in the next decades, according to NASA.
The Artemis mission is a huge milestone for NASA and all of the institutions involved in its execution. To make this mission a reality, NASA has worked with a number of commercial businesses, including SpaceX and others.
By the end of the decade, Artemis hopes to land astronauts on the lunar surface and build a long-term, sustained human presence on and around Earth's natural satellite.
According to the space agency, the initiative will send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon.
NASA also offered the last chance for people around the world to fly their names around the Moon for Artemis I's forthcoming test flight on Tuesday.
Since the announcement back in March, more than 3 million people have already signed up for the upcoming launch.
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
