Alex McColgan

As integrity cleared the lunar limb, the O2O laser system locked back onto Earth, and the crew's voices returned to mission control.

they had successfully emerged from the shadow of the moon, only to find themselves further from Earth than any human has ever been, 406,771 km from home, shattering the 56-year-old record set by the crew of Apollo 13.

This moment birthed the term moon joy, a profound sense of human connection and awe as the crew relayed descriptions with a human voice, something no robotic cameras could ever replicate.

Christina Koch described the lunar landscape becoming real to her, noting how the moon looked like a sponge of light.

turning from an electric grey to olive brown once the brightness of Earth entered her field of view.

The crew utilised their extensive geology training to describe features like the Oriental Basin.

This nearly 1,000 km wide impact crater sits on the boundary between the near and far sides of the Moon.

Wiseman described it as an annular ring that looked like a pair of lips or a kiss on the surface.

The crew also noted mysterious squiggles, winding surface features, whose origins remain a topic of intense scientific debate.

But Artemis was never just about seeing the moon.

For the astronauts at least, it was far more personal than that.

Amidst the high stakes science, the mission paused for a moment of profound personal reflection.

While passing over the boundary of the near and far sides, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen requested the naming of two previously unnamed craters.

The first was named Integrity, a fitting tribute to the vessel that carried them there.

But it was the second name that carried the most weight.

Carol, in honor of Carol Taylor Wiseman, the late wife of Commander Reed Wiseman.

When Carol was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, Reed had considered walking away from NASA entirely to be by her side, but she wouldn't let him.

Instead, she pushed him to stay in the Artemis program.

While Carol never got to see Commander Wiseman reach the moon, her name is now a permanent part of it.

Inside the cabin, the crew embraced in a group hug that was felt by millions watching on Earth.