NASA's Artemis II crew, including Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, returned from a lunar mission on April 7, 2026. The mission provided critical data for NASA's Human Research Program, focusing on astronaut health in deep space. A challenge with a $25,000 prize seeks innovative methodologies to analyze this unique dataset from the mission.

Victor Glover discussed his experience piloting Orion during the Artemis II mission, emphasizing the spacecraft's superior handling compared to simulations. Glover highlighted the importance of test piloting for future missions, noting that successful rendezvous and docking operations will be crucial for Artemis III and IV. He expressed confidence in the spacecraft's capabilities and the teams behind its development.

NASA’s Artemis II crew praised the Orion capsule's performance post-mission, highlighting its smooth reentry and minor technical issues. Commander Reid Wiseman noted the capsule's readiness for Artemis III. The nine-day mission marked NASA's first crewed lunar flight since Apollo 17, with astronauts reflecting on its positive public impact during a press conference at NASA Johnson.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover completed a final thruster burn on Orion for 8 seconds, achieving a 4.2 feet-per-second velocity change, guiding Artemis II toward Earth. Splashdown is scheduled for 8:07 p.m. EDT off San Diego, with recovery operations by NASA's team and the Department of War personnel awaiting the crew's return.

Artemis II crew, including NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover, along with Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, prepared for their final burn and splashdown on April 10, 2026. Splashdown is targeted for 8:07 p.m. EDT off San Diego after a 694,481-mile journey, marking a significant milestone in lunar exploration.

NASA's Orion spacecraft completed its second return correction burn, igniting thrusters for 9 seconds, achieving a velocity change of 5.3 feet-per-second. Victor Glover and crew captured data during their lunar flyby, coming within 4,067 miles of the Moon. The next trajectory burn is scheduled for April 10, targeting splashdown at 8:07 p.m. off San Diego.

NASA's Artemis II crew, including Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, prepares for splashdown on April 10, 2026. Following a lunar swing, they exited the Moon's influence on April 7. The crew is conducting re-entry procedures, including trajectory correction burns, and will splash down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego at 8:07 p.m. EDT.

Artemis II crew members Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen conducted key tests aboard the Orion spacecraft, including orthostatic intolerance garment evaluations and manual piloting demonstrations. Following their lunar flyby, they are preparing for splashdown on April 10, 2026, off the coast of San Diego, ensuring all systems are ready for re-entry.

NASA's Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, successfully completed its first return correction burn on Flight Day 7, igniting thrusters for 15 seconds at 8:03 p.m. EDT, achieving a velocity change of 1.6 feet-per-second. Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen monitored the spacecraft's systems, while the crew prepares for upcoming flight test objectives and return tasks on April 8.

NASA's Artemis II crew, including Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, will embark on a 10-day lunar mission aboard the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This mission will validate deep space systems and pave the way for future lunar surface exploration, including landing the first woman and person of color on the Moon.