After launching on April 1, 2026, the Artemis II crew officially splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego yesterday evening, Friday, April 10, 2026.
​This 10-day mission was the first time humans have ventured to the vicinity of the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 a gap of 54 years.
Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (CSA). They traveled roughly 685,000 miles, performing a lunar flyby that took them around the far side of the Moon on April 6.
During their descent, the Orion capsule hit the Earth’s atmosphere at nearly 25,000 mph, with the heat shield enduring temperatures of approximately 2,760°C.
​The success of Artemis II clears the path for Artemis III, which aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface. For now, the crew is safely aboard the USS John P. Murtha, undergoing standard medical evaluations before they head back to shore.
