The four astronauts who will fly around the moon on NASA's Artemis 2 mission suited up, walked out and climbed aboard their spacecraft during a key prelaunch test at Kennedy Space Center.
This low-cost mission is still only getting started, and it's taking bigger risks than typical big-ticket NASA missions.
They won't be home for Christmas, but astronauts in space are finding their own way to make the season bright.
On Christmas Eve 1968, the Earth received a message from astronauts on a mission like no other - the first around the moon. NASA will return in 2026.
The "America 250" logo commemorates the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
"There is a lot to keep us busy."
The Soyuz launched on Nov. 27, 2025 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The seven members of the Expedition 74 crew studied stem cells, packed up a cargo ship and maintained their toilet this week aboard the International Space Station.
"This is the first time AI has been used to help control a robot on the ISS."
The image shows a good example of the phenomenon called airglow.
