Artemis II Astronauts Return Home to Houston

NASA and Canadian crew complete historic lunar flyby mission

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:27am

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and oranges, depicting sweeping geometric arcs and concentric circles representing the Artemis II spacecraft's journey around the Moon, conveying the complex scientific forces and precise orbital mechanics of the mission.The Artemis II mission's historic lunar flyby marks a major step forward in humanity's return to the Moon.Houston Today

The four-person crew of the Artemis II mission, including NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, have safely returned to Houston after completing a historic flight around the Moon.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks the first time humans have traveled to the Moon since the final Apollo mission in 1972, reigniting excitement for deep space exploration and paving the way for future Artemis missions that aim to land astronauts on the lunar surface.

The details

After launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida in late 2025, the Artemis II spacecraft successfully performed a lunar flyby, coming within 100 miles of the Moon's surface before returning to Earth. The crew spent nearly two weeks in space, conducting scientific experiments and testing key systems that will be used for future Artemis missions.

  • The Artemis II mission launched in late 2025.
  • The crew spent nearly two weeks in space, including a lunar flyby.
  • The crew returned to Houston on April 12, 2026.

The players

Reid Wiseman

NASA astronaut who was part of the Artemis II crew.

Victor Glover

NASA astronaut who was part of the Artemis II crew.

Christina Koch

NASA astronaut who was part of the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

Canadian Space Agency astronaut who was part of the Artemis II crew.

NASA

The United States space agency that led the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“We are thrilled to have our crew back home safely after this historic mission. This is just the beginning of the Artemis era of exploration.”

— Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator

“This mission has reignited the world's passion for space exploration, and we look forward to building on this success with future Artemis flights to the Moon and beyond.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut

What’s next

NASA is already preparing for the Artemis III mission, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface as early as 2027.

The takeaway

The successful Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in the renewed push for human exploration of the Moon, setting the stage for future Artemis missions that will establish a sustainable lunar presence and pave the way for eventual crewed missions to Mars.