Nasa Moon mission breaks deep space distance record set 56 years ago

Astronauts on the first manned Moon mission in more than 50 years have travelled deeper into space than any human has gone before.

The historic record was set by the Artemis II crew during a lunar flyby that will take them on the far side of the natural satellite not visible from Earth, plunging them into darkness and a short communications blackout with mission control in Florida.

The four-strong team of three Americans and one Canadian overtook the distance milestone of 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometres) held by the Apollo 13 crew for 56 years.

They are expected to ultimately reach about 252,760 miles (406,778 kilometres) from Earth, smashing the record by some 4,100 miles (6,600 kilometres).

The astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft were woken on the sixth day of the mission with a recorded message from late Apollo 8 and 13 astronaut Jim Lovell.

The former commander, who died last year aged 97, said: “Welcome to my old neighbourhood.

“It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be, but don’t forget to enjoy the view… good luck and Godspeed.”

During the flyby, the crew will use professional cameras to take detailed photos of the moon’s surface, usually hidden from view, and enjoy the rare sight of their distant home planet.

Artemis II is using the same manoeuvre that Apollo 13 did after its infamous “Houston, we’ve had a problem” incident, when an oxygen tank explosion ended hope of a moon landing and became a fight for survival.

The capsule is on a trajectory that will take it around the Moon and then use its gravity for a “free” return journey.

It will take the crew four days to get back, with a splashdown in the Pacific on Friday.

The Goonhilly Earth Station, near Helston, in Cornwall, has been helping track the flight.

While the astronauts will not touch down on the Moon, the mission paves the way for a future lunar landing and also lays the foundation to send a crew to Mars.

The launch previously had to be postponed by two months because of hydrogen fuel leaks and clogged helium lines.

The last time Nasa sent astronauts to the Moon was as part of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

The agency is seeking to return a crew to the lunar surface by 2028, before China does in about 2030.