Artemis II returns to Earth after successful Pacific splashdown
April 12, 2026, 12:02 AM EDT. The four Artemis II astronauts are back on Earth after a textbook splashdown in the Pacific off San Diego at 10:07 a.m. AEST. The Integrity crew capsule hit re-entry at about 40,000 km/h, wrapped in a 2,500-degree plasma fireball before a controlled water landing. NASA confirmed the landing within a mile of its target and praised the mission as a milestone toward the lunar program. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen were transferred to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks and are reported in good condition. Heat shield imagery is being reviewed; two experts are aboard to examine the shield post-recovery. NASA calls it the start of a new era, with Artemis III planned soon.
