The Artemis II crew splashed down in what ocean on April 10, 2026?

On April 10, 2026, the crew of the Artemis II mission successfully concluded their historic journey with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. This vast body of water has long been a preferred landing site for crewed space capsules, including those from the Apollo era and the uncrewed Artemis I mission, due to its expansive and relatively calm conditions, which allow for safer re-entry and recovery operations. The specific location for the Artemis II splashdown was southwest of San Diego, California, a strategic choice that leverages the nearby naval support infrastructure.

Artemis II marked a significant milestone as the first crewed flight of NASA's Artemis program and the first time humans traveled beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission, which lasted approximately ten days, saw astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen aboard the Orion spacecraft, named "Integrity," evaluate the performance of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule in deep space. This crucial test flight gathered vital data on the spacecraft's systems, crew operations, and mission procedures, paving the way for future lunar exploration, including the planned return of humans to the lunar surface.

Upon re-entry, the Orion capsule deployed its parachutes to slow its descent before gently touching down in the Pacific. Recovery teams from NASA and the U.S. Navy, including the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha, were on standby in the designated recovery zone to retrieve the four astronauts and the spacecraft. This successful splashdown not only brought the Artemis II crew safely back to Earth but also provided invaluable experience and confirmed the readiness of the Orion spacecraft and its systems for the ambitious goals of the Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon.