WATCH: Artemis II Astronauts Return To Earth After Crewed Lunar Test Flight

Four-member international crew splashes down off California coast following milestone mission around the Moon

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The crew of Artemis II returns to Earth Friday evening, completing a historic crewed test flight that sent astronauts around the Moon and back for the first time in the program.

The spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT), concluding an approximately 10-day mission aboard the Orion capsule.

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Recovery operations begin immediately after landing, with teams deploying helicopters to retrieve the astronauts and transport them to the USS John P. Murtha. Once aboard the naval vessel, crew members undergo initial medical evaluations in the ship’s medical facilities before preparing for transport back to shore and onward travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

The mission crew included Reid Wiseman, who served as commander, Victor Glover as pilot, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

Launched aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, the astronauts traveled beyond Earth orbit, circled the Moon, and returned in the Orion spacecraft. The flight marked the first time the SLS rocket and Orion capsule have carried a crew, serving as a critical test of systems designed for future deep-space missions.

Officials said the mission was intended to validate technologies and operational procedures needed for extended lunar exploration and eventual human missions to Mars. The successful return of the Artemis II crew represents a major step forward in those long-term objectives.