Artemis II mission: A historic return for Nasa's astronauts

The crew of Nasa's Artemis II mission safely returned to Earth on 11 April 2026 after a spectacular splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. This historically significant mission marked the first time astronauts had traveled to the Moon in more than fifty years. The crew, consisting of Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, began their journey aboard the Orion capsule, named Integrity.

Historic achievements

The Artemis II mission was a round trip around the Moon that involved more than just a physical journey. During this nearly ten-day mission, the astronauts became the first humans to travel back toward the Moon since the Apollo missions. The crew covered a total of 694,481 miles, reaching a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth. This surpassed the previous record set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970, which established the farthest distance ever traveled by humans in space.

The return

The return took place at 8:07 p.m. ET (00:07 UTC on 11 April 2026) with a splashdown near San Diego, California. The capsule re-entered the atmosphere at speeds of more than 38,600 km/h, putting the heat shield through extreme thermal stress. Because of these high temperatures, the crew lost contact with mission control in Houston for six minutes.

After splashdown, the astronauts were taken by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha for medical evaluations. They were then flown to Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Houston to reunite with their families.

Timeline

2026-04-11: The Artemis II crew, consisting of Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen, returns to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
2026-04-11: The crew reaches a record distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the previous Apollo 13 record.
2026-04: NASA confirms the mission has been completed successfully and turns its attention to preparations for Artemis III, planned for 2027.

The road to Artemis III

With Artemis II successfully completed, the focus now shifts to Artemis III, scheduled for 2027. This follow-up mission will send a new crew to the Moon and test cooperation with commercial lunar landers in orbit. NASA has major plans to establish a permanent base on the Moon, while also laying important groundwork and preparation for future missions to Mars.

Contributions from Nasa staff and international partners

Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman highlighted the collaboration and dedication of thousands of staff members and international partners who contributed to the mission's success. These included expertise, design, and testing for both the spacecraft and the associated technologies. The success of these missions is essential for the future of human spaceflight and exploration beyond Earth.