Following a successful swing around the far side of the Moon on April 6, the Artemis II mission set its course for Earth. On April 7, the spacecraft exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the Moon's gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth's). These final days in space provided breathtaking images, culminating in a triumphant 10-day journey as the crew safely returned to their home planet.
Moon Joy
Three years of grueling training and the incredible tension of recent days gave way to pure joy. The Artemis II crew took time out for a warm group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home.
Clockwise from left: Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover. Credit: NASA
Starstruck
Far from Earth's atmosphere and light pollution, the crew captured this breathtaking snapshot of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The image clearly displays its elegant spiral structure, dominated by just two arms wrapping off the ends of a central bar of stars. Spanning more than 100,000 light-years, Earth is located along one of the galaxy’s spiral arms, about halfway from the center.
Credit: NASA
The Powerhouse of the Spacecraft
While the crew was in a sleep period ahead of beginning their seventh day, cameras mounted on the solar array wings captured the Orion spacecraft itself against the void of space.
The image on the right prominently features the European Service Module, showing a portion of the orbital maneuvering system engine and three of eight auxiliary thrusters. Also pictured is one of the four solar array wings. Each wing is made of three panels that provide enough electricity to power two three-bedroom homes.
Credit: NASA
Artemis II Recovery
The epic 10-day journey around the Moon has safely concluded! On Friday, April 10, 2026, following a spectacular reentry, NASA’s Orion spacecraft made a flawless splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 7:07 p.m. EDT.
Immediately following the splashdown, joint teams from NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force mobilized to secure the capsule with the four heroes. They are actively working to safely extract the crewmembers and recover the Orion spacecraft aboard the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha.
Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
A New Chapter Begins. The Artemis II mission has proven the reliability of the Orion spacecraft systems and humanity's readiness for the next giant leap — landing astronauts on the lunar surface during Artemis III. Welcome home!
