Artemis II Crew Reported Multiple Asteroid Impact Flashes on Moon

Astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II reported observing at least four impact flashes on the lunar surface, offering a rare firsthand account of asteroid collisions with the Moon.

The flashes, brief bursts of light caused by space rocks striking the Moon, were witnessed while the Orion spacecraft was temporarily out of communication range with NASA. 

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen reported seeing two impacts, while Reid Wiseman observed another two during the blackout period.

“There was a little bit of giddiness,” Wiseman said, describing the crew’s reaction to the unexpected sightings.

Scientists on the ground reacted with equal excitement. Kelsey Young called the observations “amazing news,” noting that one team at Mission Control was “jumping up and down literally” upon learning that the astronauts had witnessed and documented the phenomenon.

Impact events are relatively common on the Moon due to the absence of a protective atmosphere, which on Earth burns up most incoming debris before it reaches the surface. 

These observations are considered scientifically valuable, as studying such collisions can help researchers better understand the frequency of asteroid impacts and the geological evolution of the Moon over time.