Artemis 2 splashdown returns astronauts to Earth after lunar flyby

The four Artemis 2 astronauts splashed down off San Diego on April 10 after a planned free-return lunar flyby that set a new human-distance record; the flight was the first crewed launch of NASA's SLS and Orion and served as a systems test for future Artemis missions.

Artemis 2's crew returned to Earth with a splashdown off the coast of San Diego on April 10, concluding a planned lunar flyby that launched on April 1. The mission was the first crewed flight of NASA's Space Launch System and the Orion capsule, and it carried four astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. The flight followed a free-return trajectory that provided close views of the lunar far side and included a prolonged solar eclipse as seen from the spacecraft. Artemis 2 also surpassed a decades-old distance record and was staged as a systems test ahead of upcoming Artemis missions. Key facts: - Crew: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. - Launch and hardware: Liftoff occurred April 1; this was the second SLS liftoff overall and the first crewed flight for both SLS and Orion. - Trajectory and record: Artemis 2 flew a planned free-return trajectory with a close approach of about 4,067 miles (6,545 km) from the lunar surface and reached roughly 252,756 miles (406,771 km) from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13's distance. - Observations: The crew reported detailed visual observations of far-side features, including the Orientale Basin, and recorded the Sun's corona during a 54-minute eclipse visible from their vantage point. - Reentry and recovery: Orion entered over the Pacific, drogues and main parachutes deployed as planned, and the capsule splashed down at about 19 mph; the USS John Murtha conducted recovery and returned the crew for medical checks. - Heat shield and profile: After Artemis 1 showed unexpected heat-shield damage, NASA used a steeper reentry angle for Artemis 2 but did not alter the heat shield hardware. Summary: Artemis 2 demonstrated crewed SLS and Orion operations, provided human observations of lunar far-side features, and returned its four astronauts safely to Earth. The mission is positioned as a preparatory step for Artemis 3, slated for mid-2027 to test orbital docking with commercial lunar landers, and for Artemis 4, which is planned to carry astronauts toward a lunar south-pole landing in late 2028. Longer-term program aims reported by NASA include building a crewed outpost near the moon's south pole and planning for human missions beyond the moon.