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 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).
Advisable Tales
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The 4 astronauts will now bear medical checks earlier than returning to NASA’s Johnson House Heart in Houston.
NASA crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, started a 10-day voyage from Florida’s Kennedy House Heart final week, travelling farther into area than any human ever has.
They looped across the far aspect of the moon, testing tools 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 filled with technical milestones.
A brand new perspective on Earth
Artemis II is extensively seen as a crucial check 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 methods and life-support know-how, all important for safely carrying people deeper into area.
The return additionally included probably the most difficult phases of the journey: a short communication blackout throughout re-entry, attributable to 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 lady, 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 may, for only a second, have the world pause — and keep in mind that it is a stunning planet in a really particular place in our universe”.
“We should always all cherish what now we have been gifted.”
Each morning for the reason that astronauts’ departure, NASA has despatched a music to Artemis II to start out the day. On Friday, the astronauts awoke to the tune of Dwell’s music Run to the Water and the nation hit Free, by Zac Brown Band.
