Splash Down! Artemis II Crew Safely Splashes Down in Pacific Ocean After Historic Moon Flyby
- Lynn Matthews
- 20 hours ago
- 2 min read
San Diego, Calif. (April 10, 2026) – NASA’s Artemis II mission concluded successfully tonight as the four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
The Orion capsule touched down at approximately 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT), completing a 10-day journey that took humans farther from Earth than any mission since Apollo 17 in 1972. The crew traveled roughly 694,000 miles on a free-return trajectory around the Moon, including a close flyby of the lunar far side.
Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch (all NASA), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency emerged from the capsule after enduring a high-speed reentry that reached temperatures of nearly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit and a brief communications blackout caused by plasma surrounding the spacecraft.
Parachutes deployed as planned, slowing the capsule to about 20 mph for a gentle ocean landing. A joint NASA and U.S. Navy recovery team aboard the USS John P. Murtha quickly moved in to assist the astronauts. The crew is undergoing initial medical checks aboard the recovery ship before being flown back to shore and eventually returning to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA shared dramatic live video of the reentry, parachute deployment, and splashdown, capturing the historic moment as the first crewed Artemis mission returned safely from deep space.
Artemis II served as a critical test flight, validating the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield, life support systems, and deep-space performance with a crew on board. The mission generated stunning imagery and valuable data from the Moon’s vicinity.
This successful return sets the stage for future crewed lunar landings and cements NASA’s leadership in human space exploration.
Comments