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Artemis II Crew Returns: Historic Lunar Mission Complete
11 Apr
Summary
- Artemis II crew successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026.
- The mission achieved a record distance, traveling 252,756 miles from Earth.
- This historic flight paves the way for future lunar surface missions.
The Artemis II mission concluded on April 10, 2026, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen completed a 10-day journey that took them further from Earth than any humans in over 50 years. The mission achieved a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the previous record set by Apollo 13.
The Artemis II crew launched on April 1 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the Space Launch System rocket. During their flight, the crew tested the Orion spacecraft's life support systems and performed piloting demonstrations to validate its handling. They also conducted scientific investigations to prepare for future lunar surface operations.
This successful test flight of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket is a crucial step for NASA's Artemis program. It demonstrated the capabilities of the vehicle and the international partnership involved. The data gathered will inform future missions, including Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon.
