The Artemis II crew landed within the Pacific Ocean underneath parachutes after a high-speed re-entry that examined its warmth protect.
Revealed On 11 Apr 2026
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts have safely splashed down on Earth, finishing a landmark mission that carried people across the Moon and again for the primary time in additional than 50 years.
The crew efficiently accomplished a parachute touchdown on Friday within the Pacific Ocean, after a high-speed re-entry by way of Earth’s environment. Restoration groups have been off the coast of California, ready to retrieve them after their arrival at 5:07pm Pacific time (00:07 GMT).
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The 4 astronauts will now endure medical checks earlier than returning to NASA’s Johnson Area Middle in Houston.
NASA crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, began a 10-day voyage from Florida’s Kennedy Area Middle final week, travelling farther into house than any human ever has.
They looped across the far aspect of the moon, testing gear in deep house, earlier than propelling again to Earth on Friday.
Their mission was the primary to the moon for the reason that 1972 Apollo 17 mission, and their return caps a mission full of technical milestones.
A brand new perspective on Earth
Artemis II is broadly seen as a essential take a look at flight for future Moon missions, notably Artemis IV, which goals to land astronauts on the lunar floor for the primary time for the reason that Apollo period.
Engineers will now analyse key knowledge from the mission, together with the efficiency of the Orion capsule’s warmth protect in addition to navigation techniques and life-support know-how, all important for safely carrying people deeper into house.
The return additionally included probably the most difficult phases of the journey: a short communication blackout throughout re-entry, brought on by intense warmth increase across the spacecraft.
However on prime of its record-setting distance, the mission additionally marked different historic firsts. Glover grew to become the primary particular person of color to journey across the moon, Koch the primary girl, and Hansen the primary non-American.
Throughout their journey, the crew reported in vivid element options of the lunar floor and later witnessed a photo voltaic eclipse in addition to meteorite impacts.
Mission commander Wiseman mirrored that “what we actually hoped in our soul is that we might, for only a second, have the world pause — and keep in mind that this can be a stunning planet in a really particular place in our universe”.
“We must always all cherish what we’ve been gifted.”
Each morning for the reason that astronauts’ departure, NASA has despatched a tune to Artemis II to start out the day. On Friday, the astronauts awoke to the tune of Stay’s tune Run to the Water and the nation hit Free, by Zac Brown Band.
