Artemis astronauts now further from Earth than anyone has been before

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The crew, which is on a historic mission around the moon, has broken the record for the furthest distance humans have travelled from Earth.

The record was previously set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970 - the crew travelled 248,655 miles from Earth.

As they broke the record, Mission Control told the astronauts: "Integrity crew: On 15 April, 1970, during the Apollo 13 mission, three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever travelled from our home planet.

Read more: Artemis II crew enters moon’s ‘sphere of influence’ ahead of historic flyby

"At that time, over 55 years ago, Lovell, Swigert, and Haise flew 248,655 statute miles away from Earth.

"Today, for all humanity, you're pushing beyond that frontier."

One of the Artemis astronauts added: "We surpass the furthest distance humans have ever travelled from planet earth. We do so in honouring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration.

"We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything we hold dear."

Focus will now turn to the next stages of the mission, with the lunar flyby taking place at around 7.45 pm tonight.

Just after midnight, Orion will make its closest approach to the Moon, around 4,070 miles.

Minutes later, Orion will reach its maximum distance from Earth - 252,760 miles away.

Orion will then enter a solar eclipse around an hour later.

The crew of Artemis II touchingly have proposed naming a crater after Commander Reid Wiseman's late wife, Carroll.

A second feature on the lunar landscape was named Integrity, which was the crew's name for the Orion spacecraft carrying them on their historic mission.