The Artemis II crew landed within the Pacific Ocean beneath parachutes after a high-speed re-entry that examined its warmth protect.
Published 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 via Earth’s environment. Recovery 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 Space Center 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 Space Center final week, travelling farther into area than any human ever has.
They looped across the far facet of the moon, testing gear in deep area, 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 vital take a look at flight for future Moon missions, significantly 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 area.
The return additionally included one of the difficult phases of the journey: a short communication blackout throughout re-entry, brought on by intense warmth build up across the spacecraft.
But on high of its record-setting distance, the mission additionally marked different historic firsts. Glover turned the primary particular person of color to journey across the moon, Koch the primary lady, and Hansen the primary non-American.
During 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 really hoped in our soul is that we could, for just a moment, have the world pause — and remember that this is a beautiful planet in a very special place in our universe”.
“We should all cherish what we have been gifted.”
Every morning for the reason that astronauts’ departure, NASA has despatched a music to Artemis II to begin the day. On Friday, the astronauts awoke to the tune of Live’s music Run to the Water and the nation hit Free, by Zac Brown Band.
