NASA’s Artemis II crew has returned safely to Earth after completing a landmark journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than half a century.
The Orion capsule, named Integrity, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday evening off the coast of Southern California after nearly 10 days in space.
The four astronauts - NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen - were recovered in good condition following the mission’s dramatic conclusion.
The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at extreme speed after a voyage covering more than 694,000 miles (around 1.12 million kilometres), including a close flyby of the Moon at roughly 252,000 miles (about 405,500 kilometres) from Earth. At its furthest point, the crew travelled deeper into space than any humans since the Apollo era.
Their return involved a 13-minute descent through the atmosphere, during which the capsule was subjected to intense heat reaching around 2,760°C as it was enveloped in a plasma sheath that temporarily cut communications. Contact was restored as parachutes deployed, slowing the capsule before a gentle touchdown in calm seas.
NASA described the landing as a “textbook” success, with commentators calling it a “perfect bullseye splashdown” shortly after the spacecraft hit the water at around 17:00 local time (12:00 GMT).
Recovery teams quickly moved in to secure the capsule and extract the astronauts, who were then transferred for initial medical checks aboard a U.S. Navy vessel. They are expected to return to Houston on Saturday to reunite with their families.
The mission represents a critical test flight for NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface later this decade and eventually establish a sustained presence on the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars.
Artemis II also marked several historic firsts, including record-breaking distance from Earth and milestone participation for Glover as the first Black astronaut on a lunar mission, Koch as the first woman, and Hansen as the first non-American in such a flight.
Donald Trump’s flagship plan for post-war Gaza has come under scrutiny after reports that its financing is falling short of expectations, ...
NASA’s Artemis II crew has returned safely to Earth after completing a landmark journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar missi...
An Iranian delegation has arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at easing regional tensions, as Pakistan urged all sides to engage constructively. M...
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's Pres...
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry says the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged continued cooperation after...
Donald Trump’s flagship plan for post-war Gaza has come under scrutiny after reports that its financing is falling short of expectations, claims firmly rejected by the White House-backed Board of Peace.
An Iranian delegation has arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at easing regional tensions, as Pakistan urged all sides to engage constructively. Meanwhile, the United States and Lebanon called on Israel to pause its attacks ahead of planned negotiations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei has declared a “decisive victory” over the U.S. and Israel, signalling a “new phase” in Tehran’s control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Amid fragile calm, António Guterres urged constructive U.S.- Iran talks, while Pope Leo XIV warned violence is spreading. Lebanon's President said an Israeli strike killed 13 security personnel in Nabatieh.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
Dubai has restricted foreign airlines to one daily flight to its airports until 31 May due to the Iran crisis, raising fears of significant revenue losses for Indian carriers, industry letters show.
The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission are preparing to return to Earth after completing a groundbreaking journey around the Moon, with a Pacific Ocean splashdown expected off the coast of San Diego at around 01:00 BST (12:00 GMT).
Astronauts aboard Artemis II have described the emotional toll of their historic journey as they prepare for a high-risk “fireball” re-entry. The crew is set to splash down off California on Friday (10 April) after travelling farther than any humans in history.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke to astronauts on the Artemis II mission on Wednesday, celebrating the first Canadian to fly around the moon and marking a lighter moment in U.S.-Canadian relations that have been strained under U.S. President Donald Trump.
The four astronauts aboard Artemis II briefly lost contact with Earth while flying behind the Moon, then regained it during a dramatic lunar far-side flyby.
The crew of Artemis II mission are entering a pivotal phase of their journey, as they prepare to swing around the Moon and head back towards Earth. Now on the fifth day of their 10-day mission, the four astronauts are already witnessing views no human has ever seen.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment