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6d ago

Artemis II Crew Splashes Down Safely After Record-Breaking Lunar Loop

The safe return validates Orion for the next steps toward lunar landings.

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NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard was seen as it splashed down at 5:07 p.m. PDT in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
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Overview

  • The Orion capsule splashed down off San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET Friday, ending the 10‑day Artemis II mission with all four astronauts in good condition.
  • To cut heat exposure after a 2022 test saw the heat shield shed charred material, NASA used a steeper return that produced a planned communications blackout during peak heating.
  • Navy divers secured the capsule, lifted the crew by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks, and prepared their return to Houston.
  • Earlier in the flight, the crew reached 252,756 miles from Earth to set a new human distance record and documented never‑before‑seen views of the Moon’s far side, including a total solar eclipse.
  • NASA now pivots to Artemis III docking tests planned for next year and a 2028 landing attempt for Artemis IV, with a full post‑flight heat shield inspection set to inform those plans.