Artemis II Crew Returns to Earth, Completes History-Making Moon Mission

TL;DR

NASA's Artemis II crew splashed down safely in the Pacific after a 9-day moon mission, marking a historic milestone in lunar exploration.

Key Points

• 1.Artemis II splashed down at 7:07 p.m. Central Time on a precise Pacific Ocean target. The capsule, named Integrity, landed southwest of San Diego with a perfect bullseye splashdown, completing a mission elapsed time of 9 days, 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 35 seconds.
• 2.All four crew members were confirmed in excellent health immediately after landing. Commander Reid Wiseman reported 'four green crew members,' with Mission Control clarifying 'green' referred to their healthy condition, not complexion.
• 3.The mission is described as history-making, echoing the legacy of Jules Verne's lunar fiction. NASA framed Artemis II as completing 'a new chapter of exploration of our celestial neighbor,' representing a major step in humanity's return to the Moon.