Artemis II astronauts splash down after first moon mission in more than 50 years

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The four Artemis II astronautssplashed down offthe coast of San DiegoFriday evening following a 10-day mission that marked the first manned moon mission in more than 50 years at 5:07 p.m.Pacific Time.

The crewlaunched from the Kennedy SpaceCenter April 1 and traveled around the moon, 252,000 miles from Earth, flying farther from Earth than any previous mission.

After NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman landed on theUSS John P.Murthaahead of the splashdown, he shared a massage for those helping with the recovery of the astronauts.

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“I have no doubt that you’re all going to execute this flawlessly as we get these astronauts who will just complete an absolutehistoric mission, traveling further into space than any humans have gone before,” he said.

ARTEMIS II NEARS END OF HISTORIC MISSION WITH SPLASHDOWN OFF CALIFORNIA COAST

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Recovery forces approach Artemis II after its splashdown off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 10, 2026. (NASA)

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is greeted by Capt.Erik Kenny, commanding officer of USS John P.Murtha, as NASA and U.S.military teams prepare for the Artemis II crew’s return to Earth in the Pacific Ocean off California April 10, 2026.(Bill Ingalls/NASA)

“For the first time, we’ve gone into the lunar environment in more than half a century,” he added.“We are back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon again.”

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Isaacman added that onceArtemis III launches in 2028for the first moon landing in decades, NASA plans to stay and build a moon base.

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Artemis II during splashdown on Friday, April 10, 2026. (NASA)

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After being helped out of the Orion crew module, the four astronauts — Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen were taken aboard the USS John P.Murtha formedical evaluation after the mission.

U.S.Navy divers prepare to deploy from the USS John P.Murtha to recover Artemis II crew members and NASA’s Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California April 10, 2026.(Bill Ingalls/NASA)

The Orion spacecraft reentered the Earth’s atmosphere Friday at around 25,000 mph, slowing to about 20 mph using an 11-parachute sequence before landing in the ocean about 60 miles off the coast at 5:07 p.m.local time.

The side hatch of the Orion spacecraft opens, as recovery efforts continue after the Artemis II splashdown on Friday, April 10, 2026 off the coast of San Diego, Calif. (NASA)

Recovery forces approach Artemis II after its splashdown off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 10, 2026. (NASA)

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Artemis II during splashdown on Friday, April 10, 2026. (NASA)

Artemis II during splashdown on Friday, April 10, 2026. (NASA)

Earth sets at 6:41 p.m.EDT, April 6, 2026, over the Moon’s curved limb in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew during their journey around the far side of the Moon.(NASA)

During its reentry, the temperatures outside the spacecraft got as high as 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Astronauts last went to the moon in December 1972 for the Apollo 17 mission, three years after humans first landed on the moon in theApollo 11 missionin 1969.