The Orion spacecraft, carrying Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, reentered Earth’s atmosphere at speeds approaching Mach 33, enduring extreme heat before parachuting into the Pacific, where recovery forces including the USS John P. Murtha awaited.

The mission, launched from Florida on April 1, represents NASA’s first crewed journey to the vicinity of the moon in more than five decades. Artemis II did not land or enter lunar orbit but surpassed the distance record set by Apollo 13, reaching approximately 252,756 miles (406,771 km) from Earth.

Mission control monitored the critical reentry phase closely, particularly the performance of the spacecraft’s heat shield, which must withstand temperatures of several thousand degrees. A brief communications blackout lasting about six minutes occurred as expected before parachute deployment.

During the mission’s lunar flyby earlier in the week, the crew captured imagery of the moon’s far side and observed a total solar eclipse, according to NASA. Astronauts also transmitted images showing Earth setting behind the lunar horizon, evoking earlier Apollo-era imagery.

Despite its achievements, the mission encountered minor technical issues, including valve problems affecting drinking water and propellant systems, as well as intermittent malfunctions in onboard sanitation equipment. Crew members reported managing the issues without significant impact on mission objectives.

Artemis II is a precursor to future missions under NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustained human presence on the moon. Planned follow-on missions include Artemis III, expected to test docking maneuvers in Earth orbit, and Artemis IV, which is intended to attempt a crewed lunar landing near the moon’s south pole later in the decade.

The mission drew international attention and marked a significant step in the United States’ renewed efforts in human deep-space exploration.