NASA’s Artemis II completes successful Pacific splashdown after lunar mission

After completing a 10-day mission, the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft have safely returned to Earth, marking the successful conclusion of their journey around the Moon.

The spacecraft, named Integrity as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission, made its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 5:07 p.m. Pacific Time, according to NASA. All four crew members — three from the United States and one from Canada — were reported to be in “green” condition, meaning they were safe and in good health following what the agency described as a “perfect” landing.

The mission crew included Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. From launch to splashdown, the team spent just over nine days in space, although NASA officially referred to it as a 10-day mission.

Artemis II represents NASA’s first crewed mission to lunar orbit in more than five decades. During the flight, the astronauts travelled farther from Earth than any humans in history, reaching a distance of approximately 252,760 miles. While in space, the crew orbited the Moon, captured images of previously unseen areas of the lunar surface, and observed a total solar eclipse from a unique vantage point. As part of their exploration, the astronauts also identified and named new lunar craters. One of these was named in honour of Commander Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who passed away from cancer in 2020.

Following the successful landing, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the mission and the crew’s performance. “These were the ambassadors to the stars that we sent out there,” he said. “I can’t imagine a better crew. It was a perfect mission.”

Isaacman, who has previously participated in two private orbital missions, also shared his thoughts on X, emphasising the broader significance of the achievement and pointing toward future exploration efforts. He noted that the United States is once again actively sending astronauts to the Moon and returning them safely.

“America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely,” he wrote, while also recognising the work of NASA’s teams. He highlighted that Artemis II was a test mission — the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft — that pushed deeper into space than ever before and carried real risks.

According to Isaacman, the mission lays the groundwork for future steps, including returning humans to the lunar surface, establishing a sustained presence on the Moon, and preparing for further exploration beyond the Moon.