NASA and U.S. Navy Execute Successful Recovery of Artemis II Crew and Orion Capsule

NASA's Artemis II mission concluded successfully with the Orion spacecraft, named "Integrity," splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on April 10, 2026. The mission, lasting approximately 10 days, marked the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972, with astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen aboard.

Upon re-entry, Orion reached speeds up to 24,661 mph, approaching the record set by Apollo 10 in 1969. The spacecraft's heat shield withstood temperatures nearing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during descent. After splashdown, five airbags on top of the capsule inflated to reorient and stabilize it in the ocean.

Recovery operations were conducted by NASA and the U.S. Navy. Navy divers approached Orion in inflatable boats to assess safety before assisting the astronauts' exit. An inflatable collar was attached to the capsule for stability, and a platform known as the "front porch" was deployed to facilitate crew recovery. Each astronaut was individually hoisted by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha, with the entire process completed within two hours of splashdown.

Following medical evaluations aboard the Murtha, the crew was transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The Orion spacecraft and other recovered hardware were also returned to Houston for analysis. This mission represents a significant milestone in human space exploration, paving the way for future lunar missions under NASA's Artemis program.