In photos: Artemis II returns safely to Earth after historic moon mission
Canada’s Jeremy Hansen and his American crewmates – Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover – splash down into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif.
Mission commander Reid Wiseman and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen talk with NASA Flight Surgeon Richard Scheuring on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after they and fellow crewmates were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown.Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images
Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, left, and mission specialist Christina Koch, on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha.Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images
A helicopter transports a crew member to the recovery ship after being extracted from the Artemis II capsule in the Pacific Ocean.NASA/Reuters
People celebrate during a live broadcast as crew members are recovered from the Orion spacecraft at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California.Mario Tama/Getty Images
Crew members are extracted from the Artemis II capsule by recovery personnel.NASA/Reuters
People wait for a glimpse of the return of NASA's Artemis II along the beach in Coronado, Calif.Gregory Bull/The Associated Press
NASA's Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crew members is seen under parachutes as it lands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Friday, April 10, 2026.Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images
The Artemis II crew capsule under parachutes as it lands during splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.NASA/Bill Ingalls/Reuters
Crowds watch the Artemis II Orion capsule splash down off the coast of San Diego at the Air and Space Museum in San Diego,Sandy Huffaker/Reuters
The Artemis II crew capsule splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.NASA/Reuters
Crowds watch the Artemis II Orion capsule splash down off the coast of San Diego at the Air and Space Museum in San Diego.Sandy Huffaker/Reuters
A crowd cheers at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.ARIANA DREHSLER/The New York Times
People look up at the sky during a watch party for the return of NASA's Artemis II in Coronado, Calif.Gregory Bull/The Associated Press
Space enthusiasts gather to watch a live stream of Artemis II Orion Spacecraft capsule splash down at the University of Toronto in Toronto.Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press
Parachutes deploy on the Artemis II crew capsule in this screengrab from a livestream video as it descends toward splashdown following its re‑entry to Earth.NASA/Reuters
US Navy divers preparing to deploy from the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha to recover Artemis II crew members and NASA's Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean.BILL INGALLS/AFP/Getty Images
The Artemis II crew gets ready for the Orion spacecraft's Integrity module separation in this screengrab from a livestream video as it prepares for re-entry to Earth on April 10, 2026.NASA/Reuters
Echoing the iconic Earthrise photo captured by the Apollo 8 astronauts in 1968, during the lunar flyby, the NASA Artemis II crew captured a shot of Earthset as they passed behind the Moon’s far side. It is one of many photos taken during the seven-hour lunar flyby by the Artemis II crew on the Orion spacecraft.NASA/Reuters