Artemis II Crew Takes APO Eclipse Glasses to the Moon

The Ultimate NASA Endorsement 

From Memphis to the Moon: Artemis II Crew Makes History with APO’s Safe Solar Eclipse Glasses 

At American Paper Optics, we have always said that our glasses are “out of this world.” This month, the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission made that literal. As the four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—embarked on their historic 10-day journey around the Moon, they carried a piece of Memphis, Tennessee, with them. On April 6, 2026, during their lunar flyby, the crew witnessed a total solar eclipse from space. *Click below to watch a news segment on the Artemis II x American Paper Optics from WREG (News Channel 3):

This wasn’t just a first for them; it was a first for humanity. No human had ever witnessed a total solar eclipse from that vantage point, where the Moon appeared large enough to create nearly 54 minutes of totality. NASA recently shared the breathtaking photos of the crew wearing our eclipse glasses to witness this event.

Why Safety Isn’t Just a Goal—It’s a Mission

We are deeply honored to have played a small part in this giant leap for lunar exploration. When NASA prepares its crews for deep-space missions, they don’t leave anything to chance. The fact that the Artemis II astronauts—the pioneers of our return to the Moon—trusted American Paper Optics eclipse glasses to protect their eyes while documenting the Sun’s corona is a testament to our quality.

Our glasses meet the rigorous ISO 12312-2 international safety standards, filtering out 100% of harmful ultra-violet and infrared rays. Whether you are standing in your backyard or orbiting the Moon, the stakes for eye safety are the same. We’ve manufactured hundreds of millions of glasses for the 2017 and 2024 eclipses because we believe everyone deserves the gold standard of protection.

Looking Ahead: The World is Watching

While the American eclipses may be behind us, the moon’s shadow is just moving on to new audiences. We are already gearing up for the next two major total solar eclipses:

August 12, 2026: Cutting across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain

August 2, 2027: Passing through Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East (with a record-breaking duration in Egypt!)

As we expand further into the international market, our mission remains unchanged. From Memphis to Madrid and Cairo to the lunar far side, American Paper Optics is committed to providing the safest, best eclipse glasses on (and off) the planet.

The Artemis II crew saw the Sun like no one else before. For the rest of us here on Earth, we’ll be ready to help you see the next one—safely. Contact us today to see how we can bring NASA-level safety to your organization.