The Far Side of the Moon: Inside NASA’s Artemis II Mission on 60 Minutes

On Sunday, February 1, 2026, 60 Minutes aired a special segment titled “The Far Side of the Moon,” reported by Bill Whitaker. The segment gave viewers an in-depth look at the upcoming Artemis II mission, NASA’s most ambitious human spaceflight in over five decades. With unprecedented access and emotional interviews, the story revealed the magnitude of what’s at stake as four astronauts prepare to journey around the Moon—something not attempted since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

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The Mission That Will Mark a New Era

Artemis II is a pivotal step in NASA’s renewed lunar program. It’s not just a test flight—it’s the first time humans will travel around the far side of the Moon, placing them farther from Earth than any human beings have ever been. The mission won’t land on the surface, but it will test the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems, trajectory, communications, and reentry capabilities in deep space conditions.

The goal is to pave the way for Artemis III, which will eventually return astronauts to the lunar surface, including the first woman and the first person of color to walk on the Moon. Artemis II is therefore both a symbolic and strategic milestone, one that blends science, engineering, and geopolitics as space exploration becomes a new frontier of global competition and collaboration.

Four Astronauts, One Historic Flight

Whitaker interviewed the Artemis II crew members, who will fly aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The segment captured their emotional reactions as they stood before the massive vehicle that will soon carry them to the Moon.

The crew includes Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Hammock Koch (mission specialist), and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency astronaut). For Glover and Koch, the mission is especially meaningful—Glover was the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station for an extended mission, and Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. Hansen is making history as the first Canadian to fly to the Moon.

One of the astronauts, with a mix of awe and humor, admitted to Whitaker: “What’s going through your mind? Don’t screw it up.”

A Rocket 50 Years in the Making

The 60 Minutes segment showed stunning footage of the SLS rocket and Orion capsule making their slow rollout from NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B. Weighing over 3 million pounds, this vehicle represents decades of planning and more than a decade of engineering development.

The rocket was carried by a crawler transporter originally built for the Apollo program, a symbolic link to the past even as the Artemis program looks ahead to the future. The four-mile journey to the launch pad took hours, but every inch was carefully choreographed. The massive scale and mechanical precision of the rollout underscored how much is involved in getting a human mission off the ground.

Revisiting the Dream of Deep Space

The segment also highlighted how Artemis II is not just about returning to the Moon—it’s about rebuilding the dream of deep space exploration. Whitaker walked through the cultural and emotional resonance of this mission. He reminded viewers that generations have grown up without seeing humans venture beyond low Earth orbit. Artemis II is the first major attempt to change that.

The astronauts spoke of their training, the pressure to perform, and the sense of honor they feel representing the next chapter in human exploration. The program also addressed the risks involved—deep space radiation, critical system failures, and the long return trajectory all present unique challenges.

But the crew emphasized their belief in the mission and the collective effort behind it, acknowledging the thousands of scientists, engineers, and support staff working to make Artemis II a success.

A Global Effort Toward the Stars

NASA’s Artemis program isn’t a solo endeavor. The 60 Minutes piece touched on how international partners, including the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, are integral to the mission. Hansen’s inclusion in the crew is a sign of growing international cooperation in space, particularly as agencies look toward more permanent outposts in lunar orbit and, eventually, on the surface of Mars.

NASA’s vision includes building the Gateway, a small space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a staging point for lunar landings and science missions. Artemis II will not dock with the Gateway, but it’s a precursor to the missions that will.

Looking Ahead

As the Artemis II crew continues training and the rocket nears launch, “The Far Side of the Moon” served as a compelling reminder of humanity’s enduring quest to explore the unknown. The report delivered both awe and humility, bridging the technical feat with the emotional and philosophical weight of seeing Earth from the other side of the Moon.

The segment closed with a sense of anticipation. For many watching, Artemis II represents something bigger than just another spaceflight. It’s a revival of imagination, unity, and the belief that space exploration still holds a place in our collective future.

The countdown to launch is on, and when Artemis II lifts off, it won’t just be four astronauts going to the Moon—it will be all of us, watching as a new generation carries the dream forward.