On October 7, 2026, NASA made more than 800 GB of Artemis II lunar-science data public through the Planetary Data System (PDS). The collection brings together lunar images and video, crew observations, audio, annotations and mission records. The PDS page is the place to start exploring the archive.
What NASA released
NASA’s release includes more than 11,000 full-resolution lunar images and video, along with 8.5 hours of audio recorded as the crew made scientific observations. Crew-annotated images and three publications accompany the collection: the Preliminary Lunar Science Report, the Lunar Science Operations Report and the Lunar Science Data User Guide.
The archive also groups camera and audio files into bundles. Its catalog lists crew-camera models Nikon D5 and Nikon Z9, as well as Orion cabin, optical-navigation, docking and solar-array-wing camera imagery. Other records include audio transcripts, mission documents, and temperature, relative humidity and dew-point readings from two Orion storage-locker loggers.
Five impact flashes observed during the lunar flyby
NASA’s preliminary report says the Artemis II crew reported five faint flashes on April 6, 2026, during the lunar flyby. The observations took place during a 54-minute total solar eclipse, when dark conditions made the faint bursts easier to see. Orion was about 46,000 miles from the Moon.
NASA says the science team considered other explanations, including cosmic rays and reflections from the spacecraft, before confirming the flashes as lunar impacts. The report estimates that the incoming fragments were no more than a couple of inches wide, based on the flashes’ brightness.
The observations add to the record researchers use to study lunar impacts. NASA’s Impact Flash! project explains that tracking when and where flashes occur helps researchers estimate how often impacts of different sizes happen. Five observations during one flyby do not establish a general impact rate.
For context on the earlier findings, read NeoTeo’s coverage of NASA’s preliminary Artemis II lunar-science results.
How to find the archive
Start at the PDS Artemis II archive page. It links to the mission bundle, camera and audio collections, archive search tools and the Lunar Science Data User Guide. The guide can help you make sense of the files and choose an archive bundle to explore.
