By Ejire Folakunmi
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts have safely returned to Earth after completing a historic crewed mission around the Moon, marking humanity’s first deep-space flight since 1972.
The crew, Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on April 10, 2026, following a 10-day mission.
The flight, which launched on April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center, tested the Orion spacecraft systems during a lunar orbit, laying critical groundwork for future missions.
NASA confirmed that the astronauts exited the Orion capsule, named Integrity, after a “textbook” re-entry and splashdown, before being transferred to recovery boats and then to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks.
The mission saw the crew travel farther into space than any humans since the Apollo era, with key milestones including a high-speed re-entry at Mach 33, precise parachute deployment, and a targeted splashdown.
Moments from the mission, including images of Earthrise and in-flight celebrations, have continued to circulate, capturing public attention.
Christina Koch became the first woman to travel beyond low-Earth orbit, while Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian to reach deep space.
NASA described the mission as a major step toward returning humans to the lunar surface, with data from Artemis II expected to inform the planned Artemis III mission, which could see astronauts land on the Moon as early as 2027.
In a post on X, NASA noted that visuals from the mission would continue to be released, highlighting ongoing public engagement with the historic flight.
Public figures also reacted to the successful return, with Elon Musk posting: “Welcome home!”
The successful splashdown marks a milestone in international collaboration, involving NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and industry partners, as efforts intensify to advance human space exploration.