Artemis II Crew Lands Safely After 10-Day Mission

Lt. Commander describes emotional reunion between astronauts and Navy divers

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:25pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft, earthy tones of green, blue, and orange, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex technical forces and scientific concepts involved in the Artemis II spacecraft's journey.The Artemis II mission's successful splashdown and crew recovery marks a major milestone in NASA's ambitious plans to return humans to the Moon.San Diego Today

A week after the Artemis II spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, the team leader who opened the hatch of the spacecraft spoke about the joyful reunion between the astronauts and Navy divers. Lt. Commander Jesse Wang described the astronauts as 'so excited' to breathe real air again and see people outside of their four-person crew after their 10-day mission.

Why it matters

The successful landing of the Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era. The emotional reunion between the astronauts and rescue team highlights the risks and challenges of deep space exploration, as well as the relief and celebration when a mission is completed safely.

The details

According to Lt. Commander Wang, when the hatch was first opened, the team heard 'screams of joy' from the astronauts, who were 'so excited' to exit the spacecraft and breathe fresh air again. Wang said they had contingency plans ready in case of any medical or mechanical issues, but the landing went smoothly with no problems reported.

  • The Artemis II spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on April 9, 2026.
  • Lt. Commander Jesse Wang spoke with KNX News about the landing a week later, on April 16, 2026.

The players

Artemis II

The second mission in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon.

Lt. Commander Jesse Wang

The team leader who opened the hatch of the Artemis II spacecraft after it splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.

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What they’re saying

“When we first opened the hatch... the first thing we heard was screaming, but you could immediately tell that it was screams of joy. They were so excited to have the hatch open, breathe real air again, and see people outside of the four people that were in that capsule for 10 days.”

— Lt. Commander Jesse Wang, Team Leader

What’s next

NASA will continue to analyze data from the Artemis II mission and make preparations for the Artemis III mission, which is scheduled to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024.

The takeaway

The successful landing of the Artemis II mission and the emotional reunion between the astronauts and rescue team demonstrate the progress being made in NASA's ambitious Artemis program to return humans to the Moon. This mission marks an important step forward in the exploration of deep space.