The four Artemis II astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Friday evening after a nearly 10-day journey that took them farther from Earth than any humans have gone before.
During the lunar flyby, the for astronauts passed 4,067 miles above the Moon’s surface. This beat the old distance record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.
After splashdown, the astronauts were helped out of the Orion spacecraft in open water. They were then flown by helicopter to a navy ship for medical checks before heading back to Houston.
Successful test of new spacecraft systems
The mission began on April 1 when the giant Space Launch System rocket, known as SLS, lifted off from Florida. In orbit, the astronauts checked all systems to make sure everything worked properly before heading toward the Moon.
Once on the way, the astronauts tested Orion’s life support systems. They also took manual control of the spacecraft several times to test how it handles. These piloting demonstrations will help plan future meetings and dockings with Moon landers.
The crew carried out medical experiments, including one that studies how human tissue reacts to the low gravity and radiation found in deep space. They took more than 7,000 photos of the Moon, showing craters, old lava flows, and the line between lunar day and night known as the terminator. They also saw a solar eclipse from space and views of Earth rising and setting against the blackness.
NASA officials said the flight proved that the Orion spacecraft, the SLS rocket, and the overall plan for returning to the Moon are ready for the next steps. With Artemis II finished, work now focuses on Artemis III and IV, which will include landing on the Moon’s surface. Future missions aim to build a lasting base on the Moon and prepare for sending astronauts to Mars one day. The safe return of the crew marks an important milestone in human space exploration.