Navy Ship to Recover Artemis II Astronauts After Ocean Splashdown

The USS Murtha will retrieve the crew of the Orion capsule off the California coast on Friday.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:37pm

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones depicting the complex systems and forces involved in the splashdown and recovery of the Artemis II spacecraft, conveying the structural order of the mission without using any text or symbols.The recovery of the Artemis II astronauts by the USS Murtha represents a critical logistical milestone for NASA's ambitious return to the Moon.San Diego Today

The U.S. Navy's 684-foot amphibious transport dock ship USS Murtha will be responsible for recovering the astronauts of the Artemis II mission when their Orion spacecraft splashes down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday. The crew will then be transported by helicopter to Naval Air Station North Island before being flown to Houston.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a critical step in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon. The successful recovery of the astronauts is an important logistical and safety milestone, as the public is advised to avoid the splashdown area due to the risk of falling debris.

The details

The Murtha, typically used to transport Marines, has completed special training to qualify for the recovery operation. NASA and the Coast Guard are warning the public not to approach the landing area, as pieces of the Orion capsule are expected to break off and fall into the sea during descent. Five bright airbags will deploy shortly after splashdown to keep the capsule upright and facilitate the Murtha's crew in collecting the astronauts and transferring them to the ship.

  • The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 11, 2026.
  • The USS Murtha is preparing to depart Naval Base San Diego on Monday, April 7, 2026 to travel to the splashdown site.

The players

USS Murtha

A 684-foot amphibious transport dock ship operated by the U.S. Navy that has completed special training to recover the Artemis II astronauts.

Orion Spacecraft

The crew capsule that will carry the Artemis II astronauts and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

Artemis II Mission

The second mission in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon, following the uncrewed Artemis I flight test.

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What they’re saying

“The public should not approach the landing area, partly because pieces of debris are expected to break off and fall into the sea during descent.”

— NASA

What’s next

After the astronauts are recovered by the USS Murtha, they will be transported by helicopter to Naval Air Station North Island and then flown by jet to Houston, where they will hold a post-trip news conference.

The takeaway

The recovery of the Artemis II astronauts by the USS Murtha is a critical logistical and safety milestone for NASA's Artemis program, as it demonstrates the agency's ability to safely retrieve crew members from a deep space mission and return them to the United States.