Artemis II Astronaut Reunites with Dog After Historic Moon Mission

Christina Koch shares emotional video of her homecoming after 10-day lunar flight around the far side of the moon.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:19pm

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals, conceptually representing the complex forces and concepts of space travel.The historic Artemis II mission around the moon opens a new chapter in human space exploration, capturing stunning views of our planet and the lunar surface.San Diego Today

Astronaut Christina Koch was welcomed home with a heartwarming reunion with her dog after returning from NASA's historic Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon since the Apollo era. The video captures the emotional moment as Koch's pet eagerly greets her upon arrival, just days after the Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

Why it matters

The successful Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's renewed efforts to return humans to the moon, paving the way for future Artemis program flights that aim to land astronauts on the lunar surface. The emotional homecoming also highlights the personal sacrifices and joys experienced by astronauts and their families during these historic space voyages.

The details

During the 10-day Artemis II mission, the four-person crew - three Americans and one Canadian - became the first humans to travel to the moon since the Apollo era, capturing never-before-seen views of the lunar far side. At the mission's farthest point, the astronauts reached approximately 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the distance record set by Apollo 13.

  • Artemis II splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on April 12, 2026.
  • The astronauts received a thunderous welcome home at Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center on April 13, 2026.

The players

Christina Koch

An American astronaut who was part of the four-person Artemis II crew that traveled around the moon.

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II mission.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian astronaut who was part of the Artemis II crew.

NASA

The United States space agency that oversaw the Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon since the Apollo era.

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What they’re saying

“Honestly, what struck me wasn't necessarily just Earth — it was all the blackness around it. Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbed in the universe.”

— Christina Koch, Astronaut

What’s next

NASA is targeting Artemis III, which is expected to involve crewed operations with a lunar lander, followed by Artemis IV — a planned mission aiming to return astronauts to the moon's surface near the lunar south pole, later this decade.

The takeaway

The emotional reunion between astronaut Christina Koch and her dog highlights the personal sacrifices and joys experienced by space explorers and their families during historic missions. The successful Artemis II flight also marks a significant step forward in NASA's renewed efforts to return humans to the moon, paving the way for future Artemis program flights that aim to land astronauts on the lunar surface.