'Welcome home, Artemis': Crew celebrates historic 10-day moon mission

PHOTO: (L-R) NASA's Artemis II mission astronauts Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist Christina Koch, pilot Victor Glover and commander Reid Wiseman attend a welcoming ceremony in Houston, Texas, on April 11, 2026.

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Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Artemis II crew arrives back to Houston after the dramatic Pacific splashdown

NASA's Artemis II mission lifted off on April 1 at 6:35 p.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The four-person crew completed a 695,081-mile, 10-day journey around the moon, also known as a lunar fly-by.

A "textbook" splashdown took place at 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday, April 10.

Apr 02, 2026 12:53 PM

Artemis II crew enters high Earth orbit

The Artemis II crew has entered high Earth orbit about two hours after lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center.

The crew will spend about a day in orbit testing Orion's systems. If everything is operating properly, Orion will be instructed on Thursday to perform the translunar injection burn, which will send the crew and spacecraft along their path to the moon.

NASA

NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen are seen in the Orion spacecraft, April 2, 2026.

NASA

NASA said high Earth orbit extends "about 46,000 miles beyond Earth."

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

Apr 02, 2026 12:54 PM

NASA administrator says astronauts in 'great spirits'

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Artemis II marked America's "grand return to the moon" during a Wednesday evening news conference.

Isaacman said NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover Jr. and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, "are safe. They're secure, and they're in great spirits."

"We will continue to monitor their health and status as we move into the next phase of the Artemis II mission," he continued. "You have our commitment to keep the public as informed as possible on this historic mission.

NASA

Earth is seen from the Orion spacecraft, April 2, 2026.

NASA

"We will hold our celebration until this crew is under parachutes and splashes down off the West Coast," Isaacman said.

Isaacman said about 51 minutes into the flight, during a planned handover between satellites, there was a temporary loss of communications with the ground team not able to receive data from the crew or spacecraft. However, he said communications have since been restored.

Apr 01, 2026 11:36 PM

Artemis II launch in photos

NASA's Artemis II mission launched on Wednesday evening, beginning the crew's 685,000-mile, 10-day journey to and from the moon.

The Orion spacecraft will loop astronauts around the moon and go farther into deep space than humans have ever traveled.

Here's a look at the launch in photos:

PHOTO: NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.

Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters

NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.

Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters

Joe Skipper/Reuters

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

People observe the launch of Artemis II from the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville, Fla., on April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

PHOTO: The Space Launch System rocket carrying NASA's Artemis II Orion crew capsule ascends after liftoff, with its solid rocket boosters already detached, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.

Steve Nesius/Reuters

The Space Launch System rocket carrying NASA's Artemis II Orion crew capsule ascends after liftoff, with its solid rocket boosters already detached, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.

Steve Nesius/Reuters

Apr 01, 2026 11:11 PM

Orion's solar arrays fully deployed

Orion's solar arrays are now fully deployed, powering the spacecraft as it continues its journey toward the moon.

In about an hour, the crew will be in high Earth orbit, and will remain there for about 24 hours to conduct systems checks.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

Apr 01, 2026 6:51 PM

Artemis II astronauts enter Orion crew module

With the help of their closeout crew, the Artemis II astronauts have entered the Orion crew module, which they named "Integrity."

PHOTO: CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen boards the Orion spacecraft at the top of the Artemis II rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.

NASA

CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen boards the Orion spacecraft at the top of the Artemis II rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.

NASA

This mission will be the first time humans travel into space on Orion.

Artemis II will be a crucial step in testing the systems on the spacecraft for future deep space missions back to the moon.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado