The four astronauts of NASA’s Artemis II mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET Friday, concluding a roughly 10-day journey that took humans farther from Earth than ever before.
Video posted to X by NASA on Friday shows the Orion capsule, carrying Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, land upright under three main parachutes after a high-speed reentry.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted to X on Friday night, saying, “And splashdown! America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely. Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy did an outstanding job. These talented astronauts inspired the world and represented their space agencies and nations as humanity’s ambassadors to the stars.
“This was a test mission, the first crewed flight of SLS and Orion, pushing farther into the unforgiving environment of space than ever before, and it carried real risk. They accepted that risk for all we stood to learn and for the exciting missions that follow, as we return to the lunar surface, build a Moon base, and prepare for what comes next. And they were not alone. The entire NASA workforce, our commercial and international partners, and the hopes and dreams of people all over the world were with them. The astronauts know it, and you should too. This mission would not have been possible without you. Congratulations. Artemis II, mission accomplished.”
Why It Matters
The splashdown marks completion of the first crewed voyage beyond low-Earth orbit in more than 50 years.
This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
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