Live updates: Artemis II astronauts to break all-time distance record during historic Moon flyby

After entering the Moon’s sphere of influence shortly after midnight, Orion is now being re-accelerated by lunar gravity as it speeds toward tonight’s 7:02 p.m. ET closest approach.

Having spent the last few days slowing down while climbing uphill away from Earth, the spacecraft is now essentially falling toward the lunar surface, gaining the velocity it needs for a historic gravity-assisted slingshot.

Camera aboard the Orion spacecraft showing the Moon growing larger by the minute. (NASA)

The crew is currently hurtling through the final stretch of their 232,000-mile journey, with the Moon appearing to grow larger in their windows by the hour.

This surge in speed is a critical part of the mission’s free-return trajectory, ensuring that even without further engine burns, the Moon's gravity will whip Orion around the far side and fling it safely back toward a Friday splashdown on Earth.

The Artemis II crew will set a record for human space travel Monday in their historic lunar flyby. On the far-side of the moon the crew will have a 7-hour window to make nuanced lunar observations.

As the Artemis II crew completes their historic loop around the Moon later today, NASA and FOX Weather forecasters are already eyeing the splashdown zone in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to return home on Friday with splashdown expected at approximately 8:06 p.m. ET.

Recovery teams, led by the USS John P. Murtha, are tracking a specific landing target where they will use specialized cranes and inflatable rafts to safely retrieve the four astronauts and their capsule from the water.

Forecasters are closely monitoring the splashdown recovery zone weather forecast for Friday.

Meteorologists are currently monitoring the long-range marine forecast to ensure conditions remain within strict safety limits.

For a "Go" on Friday evening, sustained winds must stay below 25 knots and significant wave heights must not exceed 6 feet.

While the current outlook for Friday at 8:06 p.m. ET remains favorable, forecasters are keeping a close eye on any potential for isolated afternoon thunderstorms or shifts in swells that could impact visibility for the recovery helicopters and divers.

Orion snapped this high-resolution selfie in space with a camera mounted on one of its solar array wings during a routine external inspection of the spacecraft on the second day into the Artemis II mission. (NASA)

Today, is the big day for the Artemis II mission. After launching from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, the crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—are currently reaching the apex of their 10-day journey.

While they won't be landing on the surface today, they are about to become the farthest-traveling humans in history. Here is the play-by-play for today’s major milestones.

10:50 a.m. ET: Wake-up call – Mission Control will wake-up the crew of Artemis II with a special song for flyby day.

1:56 p.m. ET: Surpassing Apollo 13 – Artemis II is expected to officially surpass the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970 (248,655 miles from Earth).

2:45 p.m. ET: Lunar observation window opens – For nearly seven hours, the crew will have their windows pointed at the Moon to capture high-resolution imagery and perform manual geological observations.

6:44 p.m. ET: Communications blackout – As Orion passes behind the "Far Side" of the Moon, the lunar bulk will block all radio signals. The crew will be out of contact with Earth for approximately 40 minutes.

6:45 p.m. ET: Earthset – From the astronauts' perspective, the Earth will appear to set behind the lunar horizon—a view only a handful of humans have ever witnessed.

7:02 p.m. ET: Closest approach – Orion will scream past the lunar surface at an altitude of just 4,070 miles.

7:07 p.m. ET: Maximum distance – The crew reaches their furthest point from home: 252,760 miles from Earth.

7:25 p.m. ET: Earthrise & signal re-acquisition – As Orion emerges from behind the Moon, the crew will regain contact with Mission Control and witness the spectacular sight of Earth rising over the lunar limb.

8:35 p.m. – 9:32 p.m. ET: Solar eclipse – In a rare celestial treat, the crew will witness the Sun pass behind the Moon from their vantage point in deep space.

9:20 p.m. ET: Observation period ends – The crew concludes their science mission as Orion begins its high-speed slingshot journey back toward Earth.