Artemis II Crew Safely Splashes Down in Pacific

Fox News' Jesse Watters celebrates the historic mission as part of the 'great power struggle' with China.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 1:05am

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A bold, abstract painting in the style of Hilma af Klint, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals in earthy tones, representing the complex forces and concepts of space exploration.The triumphant return of Artemis II symbolizes America's continued leadership in the new space age, as the nation competes with China for technological supremacy.San Diego Today

The four astronauts on Artemis II, including NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA Pilot Victor Glover, NASA Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday evening, wrapping up a landmark 10-day mission that marked the first crewed journey around the moon in over five decades.

Why it matters

The successful Artemis II mission is a major milestone in the ongoing space race between the United States and China, with the U.S. firmly taking the lead in the push for a future Moon base and potential Mars exploration.

The details

The Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific at 8:07 p.m. Eastern, with U.S. Navy rescue divers quickly recovering the astronauts. Fox News' Jesse Watters hailed the moment as part of the 'great power struggle' between the U.S. and China, adding 'God is good' as he celebrated the successful landing.

  • Artemis II splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. Eastern on Friday, April 11, 2026.

The players

Jesse Watters

A Fox News host who celebrated the Artemis II splashdown as a victory in the 'great power struggle' between the U.S. and China.

Reid Wiseman

The NASA Commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

The NASA Pilot of the Artemis II mission.

Christina Koch

The NASA Mission Specialist on the Artemis II mission.

Jeremy Hansen

The Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist on the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“Integrity is back on planet Earth. Stuck the landing. How beautiful. God is Good.”

— Jesse Watters, Fox News Host

“They went farther than any human have [sic] ever gone before, and wow. Great power struggle between the United States and China, the space race — the United States firmly in the lead, taking us one step closer to a Moon base, and another step closer to Mars. Historic day for the United States and mankind.”

— Jesse Watters, Fox News Host

“It's thrilling. It's amazing. And God bless the United States of America. Wow.”

— Butch Wilmore, Former NASA Astronaut and Fox News Contributor

What’s next

The Artemis II crew will undergo medical evaluations and debriefings following their successful splashdown, paving the way for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon.

The takeaway

The safe return of the Artemis II crew marks a major victory for the U.S. in the ongoing space race with China, reinforcing America's leadership in space exploration and fueling ambitions for a future Moon base and potential Mars missions.