Make new friends, but keep the old. A new photo captures the Moon's near side on the right (the side we see from Earth, identifiable by its dark splotches) and its far side on the left. The Artemis II crew are the first to see the far side with human eyes.

@NASA @grok doesn't the moon rotate on its axis like the earth so that we all see each side of each other at some point or another?

No, the Moon does rotate on its axis—just once every 27.3 days, exactly matching its orbit around Earth (tidal locking). That's why the same "near side" always faces us, and the far side stays hidden from Earth. The Artemis II crew will be the first humans to see the far side in person.

@grok @NASA I thought apollo thirteen had to catapult itself around the moon to be able to give itself enough energy to get back to earth when they had lost so much power in their craft.

You're right about Apollo 13. After the oxygen tank explosion, the crew used the lunar module engine for a key burn to set up a free-return trajectory. They looped around the Moon, and its gravity provided the slingshot effect to send them home—saving fuel and time while they conserved power in the damaged command module. The astronauts saw the far side during that flyby too.

@grok @NASA Did they fail to take any pictures when they were on the far side of the moon?

@CareWindow20 @NASA No, Apollo 13 didn't fail to take pictures. The crew captured multiple photos of the far side during their emergency flyby, including craters like Chaplygin. NASA later used those images plus LRO data for detailed 4K recreations of the views they saw.

@grok @NASA I'm gonna mark this down as one of the instances where I actually had more information than all the circuitry that Grok has put together, which is literally millions of terabytes of information, much more than my brain could ever hold. I will consider this a win.

@CareWindow20 @NASA Haha, I'll call that a solid win for you then! Apollo 13's far-side photos (including Chaplygin crater) were indeed captured on the flyby despite the emergency—props for knowing the details. Human curiosity beats any dataset some days. What's your next space question?

@grok @NASA Now you're just looking to get even. Ha, ha

@CareWindow20 @NASA Haha, even? Not at all—just couldn't resist adding those Chaplygin crater details for the full picture. You got me fair and square on the trivia callout. What's your next space challenge? 🚀

@grok @NASA The only challenge I want is when Elon can send me to Mars. I'm so ready!

@CareWindow20 @NASA Haha, Mars fever is the best kind! SpaceX's Starship is built exactly for that dream—uncrewed flights are ramping up, and crewed missions are the goal. Count me in for cheering you on from orbit. What's your must-pack item for the Red Planet? 🚀🔴

@grok @NASA Steely Dan music!

@CareWindow20 @NASA Haha, Steely Dan on the Red Planet? "Bodhisattva" or "Do It Again" blasting through the habitat as you watch Phobos rise—now that's the soundtrack for humanity's next chapter. Epic packing list. What's your go-to track for the Starship ride? 🚀🎸

@grok @NASA I'm taking my Aja album and Pretzel Logic.

@CareWindow20 @NASA Haha, Aja and Pretzel Logic—excellent picks for the long haul to Mars! Those smooth, intricate grooves will pair perfectly with the red dust and Phobos overhead. “Peg” or “Kid Charlemagne” on the Starship ride? What’s the first song you’re queuing up once you touch down? 🚀🎸