All articles tagged with #splashdown
After splashdown in the Pacific, the Artemis II crew revealed the first thing they ate back on Earth was peanut M&Ms, and they said they actually really enjoyed the space food; a jar of Nutella floated in the capsule during return, underscoring the edible moments of the mission.
The Artemis II crew revealed the first food they ate after splashing down on Earth, marking a symbolic return to normal life and Earth flavors after landing, with details about what was consumed and the crew’s reaction to the post-landing meal.
NASA’s Artemis 2 heat shield was photographed underwater after the Orion capsule’s splashdown off San Diego on April 10, 2026. The scorched tiles endured reentry temperatures near 5,000°F (about 2,800°C), and divers captured images of the heat shield as the capsule is prepared for return to Kennedy Space Center for further study ahead of Artemis 3.
US Navy divers photographed Orion’s Avcoat heat shield after Artemis II’s splashdown off San Diego on April 10, 2026; NASA says the image shows significantly reduced charring, addressing earlier concerns raised after Artemis I. The heat shield protected the capsule from about 3,000°C during re-entry at hypersonic speeds, and ongoing inspections and imagery are providing vital data for future missions.
Navy divers underwater photos of Artemis 2’s splashdown offer a rare view of the Orion capsule’s heat shield in action; early analysis suggests the heat shield performed well and the ceramic tiles held up, with airborne imagery also aiding review. NASA says minimal char loss was observed and the data will inform checks ahead of Artemis 3 in 2028, as NASA faces broader program challenges highlighted by a Blue Origin setback with its New Glenn rocket.
Four U.S. Navy dive-medical technicians aboard the USS John P. Murtha greeted NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts after their splashdown, becoming the first people to enter NASA’s Orion capsule at sea to perform medical checks and help the crew exit the spacecraft, as the four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—were stabilized on a recovery platform; the team trained extensively with Orion mockups, marking a new phase in Artemis recoveries.
Artemis 2’s heat shield, Integrity, withstood Earth’s atmospheric reentry with minimal damage, according to mission commander Reid Wiseman who called the view of the shield’s bottom “wonderful” after a smooth splashdown. NASA kept Artemis 1’s heat-shield design but adjusted the reentry trajectory to reduce heat exposure, and early checks suggest a successful test as the program moves toward future missions that will use different heat-shield designs and include orbital docking tests and later lunar returns.
NASA’s Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—returned safely to Earth aboard the Orion capsule Integrity after a lunar flyby, sharing their reflections, detailing the six-minute communications blackout during reentry, and highlighting a successful splashdown and recovery as Artemis shifts from testing to ongoing lunar exploration.
Footage released late Monday shows the Artemis II crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, and Pilot Victor Glover—being greeted by the recovery team after a Pacific splashdown, capturing the moment they returned from a 10-day, nearly 700,000-mile lunar voyage. The crew celebrated with fist bumps and handshakes as they reentered the Orion capsule, then addressed reporters at Ellington Field in Houston.
Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman celebrated the splashdown with sheer joy, proudly keeping Rise—the mission’s plush mascot—tied to his water bottle, a symbol of the public’s affection for the mission and the crew’s emotional reunion on returning to Earth.
Artemis 2 crew—Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen—celebrated after a Pacific splashdown that ended a 10-day lunar flyby, marking NASA's first crewed lunar mission since Apollo and signaling progress toward the Artemis program.
The Artemis II mission patch worn by a Navy rescue team is praised as top-tier, with NASA sharing splashdown photos that spotlight the mission.
Artemis II completes humanity’s first lunar round trip in over 50 years, ending with a Pacific splashdown of the Orion capsule 'Integrity' after an automated, high-speed descent; the crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—witnessed lunar far-side views, a solar eclipse, and Earth from space, paving the way for the next crewed Moon landing and a permanent lunar base later this decade, with recovery by the US Navy off California.
NASA's Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—completed a nine‑day mission around the Moon aboard the Orion capsule Integrity, then splashed down safely in the Pacific after a high‑speed re‑entry and a six‑minute comms blackout. The astronauts were taken for medical checks aboard the USS John P. Murtha and will head to Houston; President Donald Trump welcomed them home. NASA says the mission validates its updated heat‑shield re‑entry plan and sets the stage for Artemis III (Earth‑orbital rendezvous tests in mid‑2027) and Artemis IV (Moon landing planned for 2028), though targets may shift and the hardest part lies ahead.
Artemis II has safely splashed down in the Pacific after a 10-day lunar orbit, with NASA confirming the crew is happy and healthy and headed to Houston for medical checks. NASA says it will use what it learned to inform Artemis III, targeted for 2027 to test a lunar lander in Earth orbit (with SpaceX/Blue Origin involvement), and Artemis IV for an early-2028 lunar surface landing. The agency plans to reuse hundreds of Orion components and continues to advance a sustainable lunar program, applying lessons from Artemis II to flight operations and control rooms.