San Diego Celebrates Artemis II Splashdown

Crowds gather at Air & Space Museum to watch historic NASA mission return

Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:05am

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A bold, abstract painting featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals in earthy tones, conceptually representing the complex forces and concepts of the Artemis II mission.The successful splashdown of the Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's ambitious plans to return humans to the Moon, paving the way for future lunar exploration.San Diego Today

Hundreds of people gathered at the San Diego Air & Space Museum on Friday evening to watch the splashdown of NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight of the agency's new Moon exploration program. The crowd cheered as the Orion spacecraft touched down in the Pacific Ocean, marking a major milestone in the Artemis program's goal of returning humans to the lunar surface.

Why it matters

The successful Artemis II mission is a significant step forward for NASA's ambitious plans to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon. As the first crewed flight of the new Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket, it demonstrates the capabilities of the agency's next-generation Moon exploration technology and paves the way for future Artemis missions, including the planned Artemis III landing that could see the first woman and first person of color walk on the lunar surface.

The details

The Artemis II mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 3rd and spent 10 days in space, orbiting the Moon before safely returning to Earth. During the flight, the crew of four astronauts tested the Orion spacecraft's systems and capabilities, paving the way for future long-duration missions to the lunar surface.

  • The Artemis II mission launched from Florida on April 3, 2026.
  • The spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026.

The players

NASA

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the government agency responsible for the Artemis program and the development of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket.

Artemis II

The second mission in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era.

Orion spacecraft

NASA's new deep-space exploration vehicle designed to carry astronauts to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

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What they’re saying

“Seeing the Artemis II spacecraft splash down is a truly historic moment. This mission marks the next step in our journey to the Moon, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.”

— Kathy Lueders, Associate Administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA

“The energy and excitement here at the San Diego Air & Space Museum is palpable. This is a moment of national pride, and we're thrilled to be able to share it with the community.”

— Jim Kidrick, President and CEO of the San Diego Air & Space Museum

What’s next

NASA plans to launch the Artemis III mission in 2024, which will attempt the first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo program.

The takeaway

The successful Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in NASA's ambitious plans to return humans to the Moon, paving the way for future Artemis missions that could see the first woman and first person of color walk on the lunar surface.