Astronauts on Artemis II have safely returned to Earth, bringing their landmark 10-day journey to a close with what officials described as a “textbook touchdown.”
The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 00:07 GMT, with commander Reid Wiseman confirming that all four astronauts were in good health.
Officials at NASA said the team is “happy and healthy” following the successful completion of the mission, which included a lunar flyby and a high-speed re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
The return involved a tense six-minute communications blackout, a standard phase during re-entry, after which contact was restored without incident.
During the mission, the spacecraft reached a record-breaking distance of 406,771 kilometres from Earth on April 6, marking the furthest humans have travelled into space.
NASA described the mission as a major milestone in human space exploration, signalling renewed efforts to send astronauts deeper into space, including future missions to the Moon and beyond.
Despite its achievements, the Artemis programme has faced scrutiny over rising costs. Initial estimates put spending at $93 billion between 2012 and 2025, but recent audits indicate that the figure has increased.
The space agency, however, maintains that the programme delivers economic value, citing nearly 20,000 jobs and over $75 billion in economic output linked to its operations.
NASA also argues that continued investment is necessary to maintain leadership in space exploration amid growing global competition.
