Astronauts aboard Artemis II have safely returned to Earth after completing a landmark 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed mission beyond low-Earth orbit in over 50 years.
The Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 10, concluding a mission that covered about 694,000 miles and included a close flyby of the Moon’s far side.
NASA said the landing was “precise and stable,” following a high-speed re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 25,000 miles per hour, during which the spacecraft withstood intense heat before deploying parachutes for a controlled descent.
The four-member crew included NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
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Recovery teams from the U.S. Navy and NASA secured the capsule shortly after splashdown, with the astronauts airlifted to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks. Officials confirmed all crew members were in good health.
NASA Flight Director Rick Henfling said the astronauts were “happy and healthy” and had successfully completed all mission objectives.
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He added that the crew would proceed to Johnson Space Center in Houston for further debriefings, data analysis, and reunions with their families.
During the mission, the crew tested critical systems aboard the Orion spacecraft, including life support, navigation, communication, and heat shield performance.
NASA said the data gathered would play a key role in preparing for future missions under the Artemis programme.
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The agency noted that the flight demonstrated the spacecraft’s ability to safely support humans in deep space for extended periods, representing the farthest distance humans have travelled from Earth since the Apollo era.
NASA said insights from Artemis II will feed directly into Artemis III, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.
Images released after recovery showed the astronauts smiling and interacting with personnel aboard recovery vessels, as they underwent initial post-flight medical evaluations.
Officials described the mission as a major step forward in efforts to return humans to the Moon and advance long-term exploration beyond Earth orbit.
