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'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.
3:01
Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
Artemis II crew arrives back to Houston after the dramatic Pacific splashdown
By Mary Kekatos, Julia Jacobo, Leah Sarnoff, Ivan Pereira, Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: April 11, 2026, 1:35 AM

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.

Key Headlines

  • Crew makes 1st appearance since return from historic mission
  • 'Welcome home, Artemis': Jubilant and emotional, crew speaks out on historic moon mission
  • Trump says he will welcome Artemis II crew to White House 'soon'
  • NASA officials hail 'new era' of space exploration after successful mission
  • Crew members hoisted into helicopters
  • All 4 crew members out of the capsule
Here's how the news is developing.

Apr 11, 2026 1:35 AM

Crew being extracted from capsule

The four Artemis II crewmembers are emerging from the Orion capsule for the first time since beginning their mission 10 days ago.

A burst of applause and cheers could be heard in NASA's Mission Control Center as the first crew member came out.

The astronauts will get a chance to readjust to Earth's gravity on an inflatable raft known as the front porch before helicopters take them to the USS John P. Murtha.


Apr 11, 2026 1:17 AM

Trump congratulates crew

President Donald Trump congratulated the Artemis II crew, calling it a "spectacular" trip, and said he looks forward to seeing them at the White House "soon," in a social media post following the successful splashdown.

A TV was wheeled into the roundtable dinner that the president was attending in Charlottesville, Virginia, and he watched the Artemis splashdown, according to a White House official.


Apr 11, 2026 1:19 AM

Side hatch opened

The side hatch of the Orion capsule is now open, as four Navy personnel -- one for each astronaut -- enter the capsule to check on the crewmembers.

PHOTO: The side hatch of NASA's Orion spacecraft is open as it floats in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, April 10, 2026.
NASA
The side hatch of NASA's Orion spacecraft is open as it floats in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, April 10, 2026.
NASA


Apr 11, 2026 1:00 AM

Recovery personnel arrive

Recovery personnel, including Navy divers, have pulled up along the Orion capsule to help extract the crewmembers.

PHOTO: NASA's Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen floats in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego as US Navy divers arrive, April 10, 2026.
NASA
NASA's Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen floats in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego as US Navy divers arrive, April 10, 2026.
NASA

Apr 02, 2026 9:58 PM

Breaking down Artemis II moon mission terms, jargon and what they mean

Following the path of Artemis II may be confusing as the astronauts, mission control and others use specific jargon and phrases.

Here are explanations of some of the terminology people may hear over the course of the mission:

Translunar injection burn

The translunar injection burn is the final step that sends the crew on the path to the moon, committing the Orion spacecraft to the remainder of its 10-day mission.

Lasting just minutes, it's a single-engine firing that propels the spacecraft out of Earth's orbit and on a "free-return trajectory."

PHOTO: NASA launched a new space toilet, the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS).
NASA
NASA launched a new space toilet, the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS), to the International Space Station on Northrop Grumman’s 14th contract resupply mission in September. Another UWMS unit will be installed in Orion for the Artemis II flight test that will send astronauts on a 10-day mission beyond the Moon and back.
NASA

Universal waste management system

The universal waste management system, otherwise known as a space toilet, is located inside a stall just like in a public restroom on Earth, according to NASA.

Space toilets use air flow to pull urine and feces away and into receptacles, which are stored for disposal. The astronauts have a handlebar to hold themselves down while using the toilet in the absence of gravity.

Read more here about the terms and jargon you may come across during the Artemis II mission.


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