Artemis II Astronauts Return to Houston After Historic Lunar Mission
The Artemis II crew received a warm welcome in Houston following their groundbreaking journey around the Moon, marking the first human lunar mission in over 50 years.
The Artemis II astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—returned to Houston on Saturday after completing a historic 10-day mission around the Moon. This mission marked the first time humans have traveled to the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
The crew's Orion capsule, named 'Integrity,' splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday evening. Following medical evaluations, the astronauts flew to Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center, where they were greeted by family members, colleagues, and NASA officials.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman addressed the crowd, stating,
"After a brief 53-year intermission, the show goes on, and NASA is back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon and bringing them home safely."
During their mission, the crew set a new record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth, reaching 252,756 miles. They also captured unprecedented views of the Moon's far side and observed a solar eclipse from space.
The Artemis II mission is a significant milestone in NASA's Artemis program, paving the way for future missions aimed at establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and preparing for eventual crewed missions to Mars.
