Artemis II Astronauts Praise Moonship's Performance, Especially Heat Shield

Crew highlights successful reentry and lunar flyby as NASA prepares for future Artemis missions.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:20pm

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones depicting the Artemis II spacecraft's reentry, with sweeping geometric arcs, precise spirals, and intersecting waveforms representing the complex physical forces the vehicle experienced, conveying the structural order of the universe.The Artemis II spacecraft's successful reentry through Earth's atmosphere, enduring intense heat and forces, marks a critical milestone in NASA's return to the moon.Cape Canaveral Today

The four astronauts who flew on the Artemis II mission around the Moon gave high marks to their Orion spacecraft, particularly the heat shield, for its performance during the critical reentry phase. The crew - three Americans and one Canadian - became the most distant human travelers ever as they circled the lunar far side, witnessing features never seen before by the human eye. NASA is now working towards the next steps in its Artemis program, including landing astronauts near the Moon's south pole as soon as 2028.

Why it matters

The successful Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's plans to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon. The astronauts' positive feedback on the Orion spacecraft's systems, especially the heat shield that protected them during the scorching reentry, boosts confidence in the agency's ability to safely transport crews to the lunar surface in the coming years.

The details

During the nearly 10-day voyage, the Artemis II crew - Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen - became the most distant human travelers ever, circling the far side of the Moon. They reported seeing lunar features never before viewed by the human eye, including during a total lunar eclipse. Upon reentry, Wiseman and Glover noted only minor charring on the heat shield, which had been a concern after the previous Artemis I test flight. The astronauts will now undergo extensive medical testing to assess the impacts of their deep-space journey, as NASA prepares for the next steps in the Artemis program, including landing crews near the Moon's south pole as soon as 2028.

  • The Artemis II crew launched from Florida on April 1, 2026.
  • Their Orion capsule, named Integrity, parachuted into the Pacific on April 14, 2026, closing out the nearly 10-day voyage.
  • The Artemis II homecoming in Houston on April 15, 2026 coincided with the 56th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13.

The players

Reid Wiseman

Commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

Pilot of the Artemis II mission.

Christina Koch

Artemis II astronaut.

Jeremy Hansen

Canadian astronaut on the Artemis II mission.

Neil Armstrong

First person to walk on the Moon, during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Buzz Aldrin

Second person to walk on the Moon, during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Gene Cernan

Last person to walk on the Moon, during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Harrison Schmitt

Geologist who walked on the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Elon Musk

Founder of SpaceX, which is developing a lunar lander for future Artemis missions.

Jeff Bezos

Founder of Blue Origin, which is also developing a lunar lander for future Artemis missions.

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What they’re saying

“For four humans just looking at the heat shield, it looked wonderful to us. It looked great, and that ride in was really amazing.”

— Reid Wiseman, Commander, Artemis II mission

“As the parachutes released right before splashdown, I felt like I was in freefall - like diving backward off a skyscraper. It was glorious.”

— Victor Glover, Pilot, Artemis II mission

“We made it happen.”

— Christina Koch, Artemis II astronaut

“We're not going to be able to pound everything flat before we go. We're going to have to trust each other. While everything went smoothly for us, it was also very clear to us that it can get pretty bumpy.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian astronaut, Artemis II mission

What’s next

NASA is already working on Artemis III, the next step in its plans for a sustainable Moon presence. Artemis III will remain in orbit around Earth as astronauts practice docking their Orion capsule with lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. Artemis IV is scheduled to follow in 2028, with two astronauts landing near the Moon's south pole.

The takeaway

The successful Artemis II mission, with its diverse crew and positive feedback on the Orion spacecraft's performance, has put NASA in a much stronger position to achieve its ambitious goal of establishing a long-term human presence on and around the Moon. However, the astronauts caution that future crews will need to be prepared for potential challenges and trust in their teams to work through any issues that may arise.