Particle.news
Download on the App Store
391 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

Artemis II Splashes Down Safely Off California, Bringing Moon Flyby to a Close

NASA now focuses on Orion heat‑shield performance to guide upcoming lunar landings.

Image
Image
NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard was seen as it splashed down at 5:07 p.m. PDT in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Image

Overview

  • The Orion capsule, which parachuted into the Pacific off San Diego on Friday at 8:07 p.m. ET, was secured by U.S. Navy teams from the USS John P. Murtha.
  • Reentry exposed Orion’s heat shield to temperatures near 5,000°F during a planned blackout, and after 2022 charring concerns NASA had shortened the hottest part of the descent, with engineers now set to inspect the shield in detail.
  • Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen were extracted by divers and helicopters, declared in good condition, and began medical checks on the recovery ship.
  • The 10‑day flight reached about 252,756 miles from Earth to break Apollo 13’s record, captured new views of the Moon’s far side, documented a total solar eclipse, and produced striking “Earthset” imagery.
  • The crewed test validated key life‑support, navigation, and parachute systems, and NASA says data and fixes from in‑flight hiccups such as valve issues and a balky toilet will feed into Artemis III and later lunar‑landing plans.