Amphibious Ship Steps In to Retrieve Orion Capsule After Artemis II
With no available nuclear-powered carrier for Artemis II’s Pacific splashdown, the Navy will rely on the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) to recover the Orion capsule. Murtha’s well deck, helicopter pad, onboard medical facilities, and communications gear, aided by MH-60S helicopters and EODGRU-1 divers, will facilitate after-landing astronauts’ recovery and transport to shore, continuing a historic pattern of space-capsule recoveries conducted by amphibious ships.