Artemis II Crew Returns to Houston After Historic Moon Voyage

The Artemis II team was welcomed with applause at an exclusive event, honored for their voyage, the first in half a century.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 2:48am

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones of blue, green, and gold, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals, conceptually representing the Artemis II spacecraft's journey to the moon and back.The Artemis II crew's historic voyage to the moon and back captured the world's imagination, revealing new perspectives on our planet and the cosmos.Houston Today

The Artemis II crew, including NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Jeremy Hansen with the Canadian Space Agency, returned to Houston on Saturday after their historic moon voyage. The team's Orion capsule, dubbed 'Integrity,' splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, about 60 miles off the coast of San Diego. The crew was welcomed back to their Houston home base on the 56th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission was a crucial step for NASA, as the agency prepares for the upcoming Artemis III mission to practice docking a lunar lander in orbit around Earth, setting the stage for the all-important Artemis IV moon landing in 2028. This was the first time humans have flown to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

The details

During Artemis II's nearly 10-day mission, the crew voyaged deeper into space than the moon explorers of decades past and captured views of the lunar far side never witnessed before by human eyes. They reached a maximum 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) from Earth before hanging a U-turn behind the moon, eclipsing Apollo's 13 distance record. The mission also revealed a new side of our planet with an Earthset photo, showing our Blue Marble setting behind the gray, pockmarked moon.

  • The Artemis II crew returned to Houston on Saturday, April 12, 2026.
  • The Orion capsule, 'Integrity,' splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, April 11, 2026, about 60 miles off the coast of San Diego.
  • The crew's homecoming was on the 56th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13.

The players

Reid Wiseman

NASA astronaut and commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

NASA astronaut and pilot of the Artemis II mission.

Christina Koch

NASA astronaut and mission specialist on the Artemis II mission.

Jeremy Hansen

Canadian Space Agency astronaut and mission specialist on the Artemis II mission.

Lisa Campbell

President of the Canadian Space Agency.

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What they’re saying

“This was not easy. Before you launch, it feels like it's the greatest dream on Earth. And when you're out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends. It's a special thing to be a human and it's a special thing to be on planet Earth.”

— Reid Wiseman, Commander

“I love you but not just those five beautiful cocoa skinned ladies there, but all of you.”

— Victor Glover, Pilot

“Honestly, what struck me wasn't necessarily just Earth, it was all the blackness around it. Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbedly in the universe. Planet Earth you are a crew.”

— Christina Koch, Mission Specialist

“When you look up here, you're not looking at us. We are a mirror reflecting you. And if you like what you see then just look a little deeper This is you.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist

“This is a powerful moment. Jeremy, you represent the best of what it means to be Canadian.”

— Lisa Campbell, President, Canadian Space Agency

What’s next

NASA is already preparing for next year's Artemis III, which will see a new crew practice docking its capsule with a lunar lander in orbit around Earth. That will set the stage for the all-important Artemis IV moon landing in 2028, when two astronauts attempt a touchdown near the lunar south pole.

The takeaway

The successful Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in humanity's return to the moon, paving the way for future Artemis missions that will land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era. The crew's awe-inspiring views of Earth and the moon, as well as their personal reflections, underscore the profound significance of this historic voyage.