NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha after she and fellow crewmates NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at , NASA and U.S. military teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen inside the well deck of USS Somerset as teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha after she and fellow crewmates NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at , NASA and U.S. military teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel work to recover the spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
A member of USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) gets ready to fire a line over to the USNS Guadalupe so they may refuel at sea as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams head into the Pacific Ocean for the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Monday, April 6, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha as NASA teams begin to work on post-flight processing while transiting back to Naval Base San Diego, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on April 10, NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams recovered the crewmembers and spacecraft onboard the recovery ship and transferred the Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen from the ship to Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. where they boarded a NASA aircraft to return to Houston, Texas. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Fast boats are deployed during the Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), splashes down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. military are coordinating efforts to extract the Artemis II crew from the Orion spacecraft.
Flags are seen aboard USS John P. Murtha as teams prepare to recover Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist and NASA’s Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. The quartet is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Teams prepare to recover NASA’s Orion spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Nicholas Houghton, an Orion Crew Survival System engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, wearing an Orion Crew Survival System suit, conducts familiarization training with U.S. Navy divers on doffing the suit onboard USS John P. Murtha ahead of the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist signs an Artemis II flag, onboard USS John P. Murtha, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Hansen, and NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, and Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, Friday, April 10 at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Life jackets and throw ropes are seen laid out onboard USS John P. Murtha as NASA, U.S. Navy., and U.S. Air Force teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen as the agency’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel work to recover the spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
USS John P. Murtha approaches NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. military are coordinating efforts to extract the Artemis II crew from the Orion spacecraft.
Jeremy Parr participates in the training of new Landing and Recovery team members during Underway Recovery Test-8. NASA is preparing for an Orion splashdown in the Pacific Ocean after Artemis I.
Teams work on the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as it sits sits nestled in its cradle during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft approach NASA’s Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. military are helping the Artemis II crew out of their Orion spacecraft.
Nicholas Houghton, an Orion Crew Survival System engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, wearing an Orion Crew Survival System suit, conducts familiarization training with U.S. Navy divers on doffing the suit onboard USS John P. Murtha ahead of the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Teams recover the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as they practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, from NASA, is extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. Koch and the other Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), is extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. Koch and the other Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
From left to right, Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, are extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
The stability collar, front porch, and other equipment for securing NASA’s Orion spacecraft and facilitating the extraction of the Artemis II crewmembers are seen in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha as NASA and the U.S. military prepare for recovery operations, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), is extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. Koch and the other Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard is seen under parachutes as it lands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 8:07 p.m. EDT, NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi is helped aboard a helicopter on the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON to fly to Long Beach, Calif. along with NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov shortly after they landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov are returning after 147 days in space as part of Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)
U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 depart USS John P. Murtha as they conduct air operations training as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), floats in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft and a H60-S Seahawk helicopter hovers above to communicate Orion’s location back to USS John P. Murtha to coordinate efforts to secure the spacecraft in the well deck of the ship. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
U.S. Navy sailors work the flight deck on USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams head into the Pacific Ocean for the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Monday, April 6, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Members of the NASA and Department of Defense recovery team work inside the Landing Force Operations Center onboard USS Somerset as they practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Personnel from NASA’s Artemis Landing and Recovery team and U.S. Navy aboard a H60-S Seahawk helicopter retrieve the Artemis II astronauts after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean following their 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026.
Lisa Mazzuca, mission manager for the Search and Rescue Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, poses for a portrait on the bridge of USS John P. Murtha as teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Nicholas Houghton, an Orion Crew Survival System engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, wearing an Orion Crew Survival System suit, conducts familiarization training with U.S. Navy divers on doffing the suit onboard USS John P. Murtha ahead of the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
The USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) replenishment oiler prepares to refuel USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams head into the Pacific Ocean for the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Monday, April 6, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Support teams work around the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft shortly after it landed with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9,2025. McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov are returning after 147 days in space as part of Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station. The drogue parachutes can also be seen in the sky behind the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft as they land in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Personnel from NASA’s Artemis Landing and Recovery team and U.S. Navy aboard a H60-S Seahawk helicopter are lowered down to an inflatable raft, called the front porch, to retrieve the Artemis II astronauts after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean following their 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026.
U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft, called the front porch, help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft following its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026, after the Artemis II test flight. The Artemis II mission carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy are coordinating efforts to secure Orion in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
Nicholas Houghton, an Orion Crew Survival System engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, wearing an Orion Crew Survival System suit, conducts familiarization training with U.S. Navy divers on doffing the suit onboard USS John P. Murtha ahead of the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, from NASA, is extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. Koch and the other Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Members of NASA’s Landing and Recovery team are seen as they recover the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov is helped out of the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON after he, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov are returning after 147 days in space as part of Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)\
Cody Kelly, deputy for national affairs in the Search and Rescue Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is seen alongside NASA and U.S. military recovery team members as they work inside the Landing Force Operations Center onboard USS John P. Murtha monitoring the recovery of NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA and U.S. military teams worked to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft, called the front porch, help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft following its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026, after the Artemis II test flight. The Artemis II mission carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy are coordinating efforts to secure Orion in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
NASA astronaut Victor Glover, left, and NASA Flight Surgeon Richard Scheuring, are seen on the flight deck of USS Somerset during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Thursday, March 27, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov are returning after 147 days in space as part of Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)
NASA astronaut Anne McClain is seen inside an elevator onboard the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON that will take her up to a waiting helicopter to fly to Long Beach, Calif. along with NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov shortly after they landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov are returning after 147 days in space as part of Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)
A U.S. Navy CMV-22 Osprey lands on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, Michael Altenhofen, senior advisor to the NASA Administrator, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Brent DeVore, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Three, and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael A. Valle, Deputy Commander, First Air Force, as NASA and U.S. military teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, sits nestled in its cradle during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
A support boat is seen along side USS John P. Murtha as teams prepare for the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft, called the front porch, help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft following its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026, after the Artemis II test flight. The Artemis II mission carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy are coordinating efforts to secure Orion in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
Personnel from NASA’s Artemis Landing and Recovery team and U.S. Navy aboard a H60-S Seahawk helicopter retrieve the Artemis II astronauts after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean following their 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026.
Lisa Seiler, Artemis II landing and recovery deputy director, is seen alongside other NASA and U.S. military recovery team members as they work inside the Landing Force Operations Center onboard USS John P. Murtha monitoring the recovery of NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA and U.S. military teams worked to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot shakes hands with Scott Tingle, Chief of the Astronaut Office as he is assisted from a Navy MH-60 Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after he and fellow crewmates NASA Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, center, is greeted by Capt. Erik Kenny, commanding officer, USS John P. Murtha (LPD), right, after Isaacman arrived on a U.S. Navy CMV-22 Osprey with Michael Altenhofen, senior advisor to the NASA Administrator, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Brent DeVore, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Three, Michael Altenhofen, senior advisor to the NASA Administrator, and U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael A. Valle, Deputy Commander, First Air Force, as NASA and U.S. military teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crew members to Earth, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The bridge of USS Somerset is seen as NASA and Department of Defense teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
A support boat is seen along side USS John P. Murtha as teams prepare for the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Mission support teams are seen off the stern of USS Somerset as they practice with the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, left, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, talk with NASA Flight Surgeon Richard Scheuring at their Navy MH-60 Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after they and fellow crewmates NASA Astronauts Victor Glover, and Christina Koch were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, gives NASA Flight Surgeon Richard Scheuring a hug next to a Navy MH-60 Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after he and fellow crewmates NASA Astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha after he and fellow crewmates NASA Astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at , NASA and U.S. military teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Dan Flores, Senior NASA Test Director, Rescue and Recovery, poses for a portrait onboard the USS Murtha, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft following its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026, after the Artemis II test flight. The Artemis II mission carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy are coordinating efforts to secure Orion in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel work to recover the spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The bridge of USS Somerset is seen as NASA and Department of Defense teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha with fellow crewmates NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; and Christina Koch, mission specialist were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Life jackets, helmets, throw ropes, and boots are seen laid out onboard USS John P. Murtha as NASA, U.S. Navy., and U.S. Air Force teams prepare for the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, left, and NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist are seen sitting on a Navy MH-60 Seahawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha after they and fellow crewmates CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission took the quartet on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the Orion spacecraft aboard the recovery ship. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Sailors from USS Somerset assist in the recovery of the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Thursday, March 27, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the Artemis II mission looks for a place to sign an Artemis II flag onboard USS John P. Murtha, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Wiseman, NASA astronaut Christina Koch, mission specialist; NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, Friday, April 10 at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft approach NASA’s Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. military are helping the Artemis II crew out of their Orion spacecraft.
Teams work on the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as it sits nestled in its cradle during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Friday, March 28, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, sits nestled in its cradle during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), is extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. Koch and the other Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
U.S. Navy personnel aboard an inflatable raft, called the front porch, help recover NASA's Orion spacecraft following its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026, after the Artemis II test flight. The Artemis II mission carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy are coordinating efforts to secure Orion in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha.
U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 are seen on USS John P. Murtha as they prepare to conduct air operations training as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the cost of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Airmen of the 45th Weather Squadron prepare a weather balloon for launch as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams continue to prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, onboard USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), splashes down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. military are coordinating efforts to extract the Artemis II crew from the Orion spacecraft.
NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams watch sunset over the Pacific Ocean as preparations for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth continue, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, onboard USS John P. Murtha off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Members of NASA’s Landing and Recovery team are seen as they recover the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA Landing and Recovery team members prepare the well deck of USS John P. Murtha for the return of the agency’s Orion spacecraft and Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen as the agency’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel work to recover the spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Janet Petro, director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, speaks to the crew of USS John P. Murtha, NASA Landing and Recovery teams, and the agency’s U.S. military recovery partners in the well deck of John P. Murtha, Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Naval Base San Diego after supporting recovery operations for NASA’s Artemis II mission. The agency’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on April 10 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen as the agency’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel work to recover the spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
From left to right, Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, are extracted from NASA’s Orion spacecraft and loaded onto an inflatable raft, called the front porch, following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026. The Artemis II crew will be taken to USS John P. Murtha to be routinely examined while NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. Navy recover Orion and secure it in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis II test flight launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Waves break inside USS Somerset as the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is tethered during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Lisa Seiler, Artemis II landing and recovery deputy director, left, and Scott Tingle, Chief of the Astronaut Office, right, are seen alongside other NASA and U.S. military recovery team members as they work inside the Landing Force Operations Center onboard USS John P. Murtha monitoring the recovery of NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA and U.S. military teams worked to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
NASA astronauts Deniz Burnham, Andre Douglas, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano, get in boats that will take them to the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA) during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Thursday, March 27, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 are seen on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha as they prepare to takeoff to conduct air operations training as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 are seen on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams return with the Artemis II crewmembers, Friday, April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls/Joel Kowsky)
Personnel from NASA’s Artemis Landing and Recovery team and U.S. Navy aboard a H60-S Seahawk helicopter retrieve the Artemis II astronauts after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean following their 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA's Orion spacecraft carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. PDT, (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10, 2026.
A helicopter lands on USS Somerset off the coast of California, as NASA and Department of Defense teams participate in Underway Recovery Test-12, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. During the test, teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send the Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, along with U.S. Navy personnel work to recover the spacecraft into the well deck of USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Saturday, April 11, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission, which took NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, splashed down at at 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT). Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano, foreground, and NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, are seen in a Navy helicopter onboard USS Somerset during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Thursday, March 27, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, is seen during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II astronauts around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Parachutes secured to NASA’s Orion spacecraft deploy before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, on Friday, April 10, 2026, for the Artemis II test flight. The Artemis II mission carrying Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), launched on Wednesday, April 1, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its 10-day journey around the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and the U.S. military are coordinating efforts to extract the Artemis II crew from Orion.
Members of NASA’s Landing and Recovery team are seen as they recover the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, as teams practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 onboard USS Somerset off the coast of California, Saturday, March 29, 2025. During the test, NASA and Department of Defense teams are practicing to ensure recovery procedures are validated as NASA plans to send Artemis II around the Moon and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)