Astronauts Gaze at Moon's Hidden Crater

0:00On April 4th, tomorrow, the Artemis II crew makes history as the first humans to eyeball the Mayor Oriental, up close from the Moon's far side. This massive 200 mile wide crater, carved out 3.7 billion years ago by an asteroid slamming in at 9 miles a second, will fill. Their view, like a cosmic bullseye. Unlike Apollo missions half a century back, which caught only fuzzy black and white glimpses from lower altitudes, these astronauts get a prime look, with the sun shining right overhead at 4,000 to 6,000 miles up. No more shadowy hints from afar. For Commander Reed Weizmann, 50, Mission Specialists, Christina Koch, 47, and Jeremy Hansen, 50, plus Pilot Victor Glover, 49. It's a solo moment of awe. They'll be cut off from Earth control, just them and the raw power of that ancient smash, way bigger than the Dino Weiber. Tidal lock-in keeps this spot hidden from our view most times. The Moon spins in sync with its Earth orbit, always showing the same face.

1:03Libration wobbles offer rare peaks, but nothing like this direct stare. As they scan the crater-pock surface for clues to our solar system's wild past, maybe even seeds of life flung from Earth. This fly by underscores the... Moon's role as our silent witness to deep time.