Four astronauts are back home after a historic journey around the Moon in what’s being seen as a big moment for space exploration, with US President Donald Trump calling the mission “spectacular” and hinting that Mars could be next.
The successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean marks a major milestone for NASA, as the mission becomes a crucial stepping stone in plans to send humans deeper into space, including eventual missions to Mars.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised the astronauts and hinted at what lies ahead. “Congratulations to the Great and Very Talented Crew of Artemis II. The entire trip was spectacular, the landing was perfect and, as President of the United States, I could not be more proud! I look forward to seeing you all at the White House soon. We’ll be doing it again and then, next step, Mars! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Artemis II crew safely extracted after splashdown
Following the splashdown, all four astronauts were extracted from the Orion spacecraft and transferred to the USS John P Murtha, where they are undergoing post-mission medical evaluations. NASA confirmed the development in a post on X, stating, “All four of the Artemis II astronauts have been successfully extracted from the Orion spacecraft following splashdown and are now on the USS John P. Murtha. Next up, they will be escorted to the medical bay, where they will undergo post-mission medical evaluations.”
The mission drew attention even from space, with astronauts aboard the International Space Station witnessing the re-entry. NASA astronaut Chris Williams shared, “Our crew on the International Space Station caught a glimpse of the Artemis II crew as they re-entered the atmosphere from their journey to the Moon! We first saw a bright light and a trail as the service module burned up… Overjoyed that our friends are safely back on Earth after their awe-inspiring mission!”
Mission sets new distance record, marks deep space return
The Artemis II mission has broken new ground in human spaceflight, with astronauts travelling up to 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassing the record set during the Apollo 13 mission.
The crew, comprising Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, also witnessed a rare solar eclipse from space during their journey.
NASA earlier shared updates on the crew’s final descent preparations, posting, “Fist bump! The Artemis II crew is now under 35,000 miles from Earth. The astronauts are preparing the spacecraft for reentry, and the weather is looking good for splashdown.”
Key step towards future lunar and Mars missions
Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed mission under its Artemis programme and the first human flight around the Moon in over 50 years. The mission tested critical systems needed for sustained human presence beyond low-Earth orbit, including life support, emergency protocols, and spacecraft performance.
Officials said the mission’s primary objectives included validating systems for crew safety, demonstrating operations for future lunar missions, and collecting data for upcoming deep space exploration efforts.
US Senator Ted Cruz also hailed the mission, saying the astronauts have inspired a new generation of space explorers.
The success of Artemis II is expected to accelerate NASA’s long-term plans of returning humans to the Moon and eventually pushing forward towards Mars missions.