NASA Welcomes Artemis II Crew Back to Earth After Historic Lunar Orbit Mission
NASA's Artemis II crew successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, marking the first crewed lunar orbit mission in over 50 years and setting the stage for the upcoming Artemis III lunar landing.
Key Points
- Artemis II crew splashed down successfully in Pacific Ocean off San Diego on April 10, 2026
- First crewed lunar orbit mission in more than 50 years, marking major Artemis program milestone
- Mission sets stage for upcoming Artemis III lunar landing mission
Full Details
NASA's Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego at 5:07 p.m. PDT on Friday, April 10, 2026. This mission marks the first crewed lunar orbit mission in more than half a century, representing a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program. With Artemis II complete, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that focus now turns confidently toward assembling Artemis III and preparing to return astronauts to the lunar surface. The crew's safe return demonstrates the viability of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for deep space missions. NASA has released several stunning photos from the mission, including an 'Earthset' perspective and images from the crew's call with the International Space Station.
Why It Matters
The successful completion of Artemis II validates NASA's deep space capabilities and builds momentum for the Artemis program's goal of establishing sustainable human presence on the Moon.
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