Artemis II Crew Returns Safely After Historic Moon Orbit Mission, Sets Stage for 2028 Lunar Landing

In a landmark achievement for human space exploration, NASA’s Artemis II astronauts successfully returned to Earth after completing a 10-day mission around the Moon. The crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET on April 10.

Big smiles from Christina and Victor on the deck of the USS John P. Murtha, as they waited to be escorted for their routine post-mission medical checks. pic.twitter.com/3KwZFXTLhI

— NASA (@NASA) April 11, 2026

Launched aboard the Orion spacecraft on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center, the Artemis II mission marked humanity’s first crewed journey beyond low Earth orbit in over five decades. Over the course of their journey, the astronauts traveled approximately 252,000 miles, orbiting the Moon and returning vital data to Earth. The mission served as a crucial test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems, including life support, navigation, and communication technologies aboard Orion. The crew also shared moments of camaraderie and humor during the journey, highlighting the human side of space travel—even celebrating routine onboard milestones.

Welcome home Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! 🫶

The Artemis II astronauts have splashed down at 8:07pm ET (0007 UTC April 11), bringing their historic 10-day mission around the Moon to an end. pic.twitter.com/1yjAgHEOYl — NASA (@NASA) April 11, 2026

NASA hailed the mission as a complete success, emphasizing its importance in paving the way for the next phase of lunar exploration under the Artemis program. The upcoming Artemis III mission aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2028, including the first woman and the next man to walk on its surface.   The safe return of Artemis II not only marks a technological milestone but also reignites global ambition for deep space exploration, setting the foundation for future missions to Mars and beyond.