NASA Artemis II Return: Historic Lunar Flyby Met With AI Conspiracy Theories

NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to return to Earth on Friday, April 11, 2026, following a historic 10-day journey that saw humans travel farther from Earth than at any previous point in history.

The mission launched on April 1, 2026, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This marked the first crewed moon mission in 54 years, bringing together three American astronauts and one Canadian astronaut.

The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Record-Breaking Lunar Flyby

On April 6, 2026, the crew conducted a trailblazing seven-hour lunar flyby. During this phase of the mission, the astronauts set a new human spaceflight record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth.

The Artemis II crew reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the previous record of 248,655 miles set during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

At 7:00 p.m. EDT on April 6, the spacecraft reached its closest approach to the moon, flying approximately 4,067 miles above the lunar surface. This occurred during a planned 40-minute loss of signal as the Orion spacecraft passed behind the moon.

While orbiting the lunar far side, the crew captured images and provided descriptions of terrain features, including surface cracks, ridges, ancient lava flows, and impact craters. These observations are intended to help scientists understand the composition and history of the lunar surface.

Following the flyby, the crew participated in a live conversation with President Donald J. Trump, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, and members of the public via social media.

Rise of Online Conspiracy Theories

Despite the mission’s milestones, the lunar flyby has triggered a surge of conspiracy theories on social media. Some online users have claimed the mission was staged using green screens.

Reports from France 24 indicate that the historic event inflamed these theories, leading to a wave of viral AI-generated fake videos claiming the mission was not real.

These modern claims echo long-standing conspiracy theories regarding previous moon landings. Some of these theories were recently fueled by comments made by Kim Kardashian in 2025.

The Artemis II mission serves as a precursor to future lunar landings, providing the first crewed return to the vicinity of the moon since the Apollo 17 mission ended in 1972.