Back from the moon: Artemis astronauts safely return to Earth
After 9 days and 21 hours, NASA’s Artemis astronauts safely returned to Earth late Friday, April 10, splashing down in the ocean after completing the latest phase of the agency’s renewed push toward the moon. The crew traveled aboard the Orion capsule (that they dubbed “Integrity”), which reentered Earth’s atmosphere before deploying parachutes and landing in a designated recovery zone, where teams quickly moved in to retrieve both the spacecraft and its passengers. NASA confirmed the astronauts were in good condition following the landing. [NOTE: This video includes the complete reentry footage. The actual splashdown occurs at 1:39:30, and the astronauts begin disembarking from the helicopters onto the waiting aircraft carrier landing area at 3:35:56.] (NASA / Josh Valcarcel) NASA’s Artemis II mission concluded as the Orion capsule splashes down in the Pacific Ocean following a successful 10-day mission. The Artemis crew were part of some historic and memorable moments. They were the first crew to be the furthest from the Earth, breaking Apollo XIII’s record. They were also granted the honor of naming two moon …








