AMNA NAWAZ: Today marks an historic moment for# NASA's Artemis II moon mission, as the crew flies## to the far side of the moon and sets a record# for the farthest distance from Earth traveled## by any human in history.

The four astronauts# are on a voyage around the moon and back.

Today's part of the mission# is the most anticipated,## a seven-hour flyby that circles the moon,# more than 250,000 miles away from the Earth.

This afternoon, mission specialist Christina Koch## spoke about the capsule's approach to the# moon with a science officer back at NASA.

CHRISTINA KOCH, Artemis II Crew Member:# Kelsey, it's so great to hear your voice## on the loop.

I just want to channel# everything that you guys are probably## feeling right through my eyes and heart.# It is awesome to see this side of the moon.

You guys made us excited for this day,# and we couldn't appreciate it anymore.## And we are ready to hopefully deliver on all# the awesome training you guys have provided.

AMNA NAWAZ: Joining us once again is our# science correspondent, Miles O'Brien.

So, Miles, this crew of three Americans, one# Canadian traveled the furthest distance ever## traveled by humans from Earth.

There's# a moment when the mission commander,## Reid Wiseman, sees a crater on the moon that's# never been seen before.

Tell us about that moment.

MILES O'BRIEN: Amna, I have been# covering space for decades and## I can't remember a moment quite like this from# an astronaut speaking back to the planet Earth.

Perhaps we could go back to the# Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis,## but this one was distinctly personal.

Reid# Wiseman was looking at specific features on## the moon and took a moment to dedicate# one feature to his late wife, Carroll.

Listen.

REID WISEMAN, Artemi.. in our close-knit astronaut family, and we# lost a loved one.

And there's a feature in## a really neat place on the moon, and it# is on the near side/far side boundary.

In fact, it's just on the near side of that# boundary.

And so, at certain times of the## moon's transit around Earth, you can --# we will be able to see this from Earth.## And so we lost a loved one.

Her name was Carroll,# the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie.

And we would like to call her Carroll.# And you spell that C-A-R-R-O-L-L.

MILES O'BRIEN: A bright spot on the# moon dedicated to his late wife.

Reid Wiseman has spoken openly and candidly and# emotionally about being a single father to two## daughters and doing the risky things he does.

And# all of it made that moment very poignant, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: Such a beautiful moment.

Just puts# it all into perspective perfectly, doesn't it?

Miles, I know we have been talking to you# along the way.

You have been documenting## some of the issues they had right before# liftoff, a few issues early in the mission.## Since last we spoke, have there been any# other issues, any challenges for this crew?

MILES O'BRIEN: Well, they continue to# have difficulties with the toilet, Amna,## I'm sorry to report, after that poignant moment.

(LAUGHTER) MILES O'BRIEN: But this is -- the truth is, this is a test mission.

And on a test flight,# you want to wring out all these little details.

If you were going to Mars and the toilet# didn't work, that could be a real problem.## So, understanding how a space toilet works# -- and apparently it's not easy -- 23 million## bucks, and this is what you get, it's# complicated.

So they still are unable to## go number one in the toilet.# And that remains a problem.

If that's the only problem, that's good.# But it is a problem to contend with,## ultimately.

This mission is all about testing out# these things, making sure the crew is comfortable,## not too cold, not too warm, that# they can fly the spacecraft manually.

And ultimately, on Friday, will the heat shield,# which was problematic on the first flight of## Artemis 3.5 years ago, make sure that heat shield# protects them against the 5,000-degree Fahrenheit## heat that they will encounter as they come back# in?

So that's the main event for this mission.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, as you have been# reporting, Miles, this is all leading## to a potential moon landing in 2028.

This# is the sort of test case for all of that.## So what can we expect?

From what we have# learned so far, does that seem possible?

MILES O'BRIEN: Well, so -- this has proven the# Space Launch System works.

The capsule seems to## be working pretty well.

I'm sure they will wring# out all the issues that they're dealing with.

Ultimately, no bucks, no Buck Rogers is the# expression.

If you really want to build a## sustained presence on the moon, it's a lot# of missions and a lot of investment.

The## Trump administration has been sort of# to and fro and has been not committed to## funding for NASA.

As a matter of fact,## it tried to cut the agency budget by about# 25 percent, science missions by 50 percent.

That money got re-upped.

Without that# money and that sustained commitment,## it's unlikely we will see a sustained# presence on the moon in as little as two## years.

And they also have to build a lander# that will make it to the surface safely,## as well as a spacesuit for# astronauts to walk on.

the moon.

So there's a lot of work ahead.

And# it's unclear whether this mission,## as successful as it is, will continue at a# kind of pace that will lead to that encampment.

AMNA NAWAZ: Science correspondent Miles O'Brien.

Miles, always great to speak# with you.

Thank you so much.

MILES O'BRIEN: You're welcome, Amna.