Artemis II crew completes 10-day mission

SAN DIEGO: Orion spacecraft, harbouring Artemis II crew members splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday (10th April, 2026 at 8:07 PM ET) concluding the 10-day voyage around the moon.

It is pertinent to mention here that this million km (1,102,399.64 kilometre/685,000-mile) journey took the four astronauts [Reid Wiseman (CMDR), Victor Glover (Pilot), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist), and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, (Mission Specialist)] farther from Earth than anyone in human history.

First crewed flight to moon since 1972

It may be recalled that NASA’s Space Launch System, harbouring 4 astronauts, blasted off from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center on 1st April, 2026 at 6.35pm on a 10-day mission to circumnavigate the moon.

The hatch is now closed.

The Artemis II astronauts are now strapped into their seats and ready for launch. pic.twitter.com/NWSjgklep9

— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2026

Artemis II crew:
1) NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander.
2) NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot.
3) NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist.
4) Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist.

The Orion spacecraft successfully separated from the upper stage of the rocket, and the "proximity operations" test is underway. The Artemis II astronauts are manually piloting Orion similarly to how they would if they were docking with another spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/RWW4RSyaoq

— NASA (@NASA) April 2, 2026

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated: “Today’s launch marks a defining moment for our nation and for all who believe in exploration…Aboard Orion are four remarkable explorers preparing for the first crewed flight of this rocket and spacecraft, a true test mission that will carry them farther and faster than any humans in a generation, Artemis II is the start of something bigger than any one mission. It marks our return to the Moon, not just to visit, but to eventually stay on our Moon Base, and lays the foundation for the next giant leaps ahead.”

NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya maintained: “Artemis II is a test flight, and the test has just begun. The team that built this vehicle, repaired it, and prepared it for flight has given our crew the machine they need to go prove what it can do. Over the next 10 days, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy will put Orion through its paces so the crews who follow them can go to the Moon’s surface with confidence. We are one mission into a long campaign, and the work ahead of us is greater than the work behind us.”

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