Artemis Astronauts Return from Historic Moon Mission

Crew reflects on journey, sets stage for future lunar landings

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:12am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones of blue, green, and gold, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the Artemis II mission's journey around the Moon and the profound impact of the astronauts' unique perspective.The Artemis II mission's historic journey around the Moon sets the stage for future crewed lunar landings, with the astronauts' unique perspective inspiring a new era of space exploration.Houston Today

NASA's Artemis II astronauts have returned to Earth after completing a historic 10-day mission around the Moon, marking the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft and setting the stage for future lunar landings. The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026, after launching from Florida on April 1.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission has significantly advanced preparations for a crewed lunar landing, with NASA officials indicating that Artemis IV, planned for 2028, will focus on landing astronauts on the Moon's surface for the first time since 1972. The data and experience gained from Artemis II are expected to inform the development of landing systems and surface operations for that milestone mission.

The details

During their journey around the far side of the Moon, the astronauts captured images of Earth setting over the lunar horizon and observed a total lunar eclipse from deep space. They named their Orion capsule 'Integrity' and reported that the spacecraft performed exceptionally well, particularly its heat shield during reentry.

  • The crew launched from Florida on April 1, 2026.
  • The astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026.
  • The crew held their first press conference since returning to Earth on April 16, 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 oversees the Artemis program.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Landing astronauts on the Moon is absolutely doable, and it's doable soon.”

— Reid Wiseman, NASA astronaut

“Our sun is only one of 200 billion stars in one of hundreds of billions of galaxies.”

— Christina Koch, NASA astronaut

“Humans' default state is to be good.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency astronaut

What’s next

NASA officials have indicated that Artemis IV, planned for 2028, will focus on landing astronauts on the Moon's surface for the first time since 1972.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission has paved the way for future crewed lunar landings, with the data and experience gained expected to inform the development of landing systems and surface operations for the Artemis IV mission, which aims to put astronauts on the Moon's surface for the first time in over 50 years.