USS John P. Murtha Returns to Southern California with Orion Spacecraft

The Navy ship played a critical role in retrieving the Artemis II capsule after its successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 7:42pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft, earthy tones of brown, green, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex forces and concepts involved in the Artemis II mission.The successful recovery of the Orion spacecraft marks a major milestone in NASA's Artemis II mission, showcasing the vital role of California's military and aerospace assets in advancing human space exploration.San Diego Today

The USS John P. Murtha, a U.S. Navy ship, returned to Naval Base San Diego on Saturday morning after successfully retrieving the Orion spacecraft from NASA's Artemis II mission. The carefully coordinated recovery operation involved Navy sailors and NASA engineers working together to safely secure the spacecraft shortly after its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, marking a major milestone in human space exploration.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is NASA's first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years, and the successful recovery of the Orion spacecraft represents a significant step forward in the next era of human space exploration. The USS John P. Murtha's role in the recovery operation is a fitting tribute to the late Congressman John P. Murtha, who was a champion for the military and a visionary.

The details

The USS John P. Murtha, named in honor of the late Pennsylvania Congressman John P. Murtha, served as the primary vessel tasked with retrieving the Orion capsule and its crew after reentry. Navy sailors and NASA engineers worked together to safely secure the spacecraft shortly after splashdown, and the recovery operation went smoothly. Once secured aboard the ship, Orion underwent initial inspections before being transported back to San Diego, where it will be offloaded and prepared for further evaluation by NASA teams.

  • The USS John P. Murtha returned to Naval Base San Diego on Saturday morning (April 11, 2026).
  • The Orion spacecraft successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday (April 10, 2026).

The players

USS John P. Murtha

A U.S. Navy ship that played a critical role in retrieving the Orion spacecraft from NASA's Artemis II mission.

Capt. Erik Kenny

The commanding officer of the USS John P. Murtha.

John P. Murtha

The late and long-serving Pennsylvania Congressman, after whom the USS John P. Murtha is named.

Gavin Newsom

The Governor of California, who praised the state's crucial role in the Artemis II mission.

NASA

The U.S. space agency that oversees the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface and eventually pave the way for missions to Mars.

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What they’re saying

“It is a fitting tribute to Congressman Murtha, who dedicated his life to serving our nation, that the ship bearing his name will be integral to this historic moment in space exploration. He was a champion for our military and a visionary. We are honored to carry on his legacy by supporting NASA and the Artemis II mission.”

— Capt. Erik Kenny, Commanding officer of the USS John P. Murtha

“The crew splashing down off the California coast is a full-circle moment and point of immense pride. Artemis II is a unifying moment for all of us here on Earth that we can shoot for the stars and strive for a brighter future, for all.”

— Gavin Newsom, Governor of California

What’s next

The Orion spacecraft will now be offloaded from the USS John P. Murtha and prepared for further evaluation by NASA teams.

The takeaway

The successful recovery of the Orion spacecraft by the USS John P. Murtha represents a significant milestone in the Artemis II mission, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface and pave the way for future deep-space exploration. The operation highlights the crucial role that California and its military and aerospace assets play in advancing the frontiers of human space travel.