NASA’s Artemis II crew successfully splashed down after their historic moon mission, as their Orion spacecraft made a fiery plunge through Earth’s atmosphere Friday night.

The spacecraft reached blistering speeds of up to 25,000 miles per hour before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California at 8.07pm ET.

The four-person crew, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, wrapped up a ten-day mission that carried them around the moon and farther than any human had ever traveled into space before.

NASA officials called the Artemis II mission a total success, with the capsule splashing down exactly where the space agency had planned.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called the moon mission ‘perfect’ and declared America’s intention to begin the work on a successful moon landing and construction of a lunar base by 2028.

Isaacman said: ‘We are back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon. This is just the beginning.’

Following their recovery from the Orion crew module and transfer to the naval vessel John P Murtha, the astronauts were seen in good spirits, waving to cameras and hugging Isaacman before heading for a standard medical checkup after the flight.

All four astronauts were also able to walk under their own power. Previous space flights, including the ten-month saga of stranded astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, required medical personnel to carry the astronauts because they were unable to walk well from their time in microgravity.

Victor Glover, left, and Christina Koch, right, after successfully splashing down following their historic moon mission

Victor Glover, left and Jeremy Hansen, right, after they and fellow crewmates were extracted from their Orion spacecraft after splashdown

Pilot Victor Glover is assisted off the flight deck after arriving aboard USS John P. Murtha 

Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10 after a ‘perfect’ reentry, according to NASA officials

Astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch were seen waving and hugging NASA chief Jared Isaacman after being pulled from the water

The voyage home started just after 7.30pm ET Friday night, with the Orion crew module blasting away from the spacecraft’s service module.

The separation exposed the craft’s heat shield, which protected the four-member crew as they plunged through Earth’s atmosphere, experiencing temperatures of up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the capsule angled in for the perfect trajectory into the atmosphere, NASA lost contact with the spacecraft for six minutes just before 8pm as Orion collided with the upper atmosphere, causing what scientists called a ‘plasma buildup.’

Once the radio blackout cleared as planned, Orion successfully deployed its parachutes and safely landed in the Pacific without incident.

A slight communications glitch between the astronauts waiting in the water and the US Navy recovery teams delayed the crew’s exit from the craft, but once flight surgeons were able to board the capsule, they were able to give all four astronauts a clean bill of health.

Dr Lori Glaze, NASA’s deputy administrator, said her team was ‘thrilled’ to have the four astronauts home safely.

‘We accomplished what we set out to do,’ added Shawn Quinn, manager of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program. ‘It’s good to be NASA, and it’s good to be an American today.’

President Donald Trump added his congratulations Friday night and invited the crew to the White House, posting on Truth Social: ‘I look forward to seeing you all at the White House soon. We’ll be doing it again and then, next step, Mars!’

Pictured: US Navy recovery crews arrived at the Orion space capsule minutes after the pod landed in the Pacific at 8.07pm ET

Pictured: The NASA Artemis II crew, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover

The Artemis II mission began back on April 1 with a successful launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A day later, the crew set off on a four-day trip to the moon, where they would travel around the dark side and break the decades-old record of Apollo 13 for the farthest distance from Earth humans have ever traveled.

While the Apollo crew travelled 248,655 miles from Earth in 1970, Artemis II reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles on day six of their mission.

While conducting their lunar flyby, the astronauts also named two new craters discovered on the lunar surface, including naming one after the late wife of Artemis II mission commander Reid Wiseman, Carroll.

Amit Kshatriya, the associate administrator of NASA, said Artemis II was the ‘most important human space exploration mission in decades.’

‘Hopefully, history is kind to us,’ he added.

Pictured: The Artemis II spacecraft seen returning to Earth from its ten-day mission to circle the moon and break the distance record for human space flight

NASA administrators confirmed that the Artemis II flight crew was ‘happy and healthy’ Friday night. They added that the astronauts would be headed to the NASA space center in Houston on Saturday before spending time with their families.

The space agency’s focus will now turn to reviewing the data from Artemis II before beginning on the plans for Artemis III, which will also involve a lunar flyby but no landing.

Currently, NASA’s revamped plan for the moon includes sending an additional space flight, Artemis IV, as soon as 2028. That mission is expected to land on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.

According to Isaacman, that mission will also begin the work of building a permanent US moon base which will facilitate future human space travel and a manned mission to Mars.

The Artemis II commander sent a subtle message back to Earth just minutes before he and his crew shattered a record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

The four-person team, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, reached a maximum distance of 252,757 miles from Earth at 1.57pm ET, becoming the farthest humans ever to travel from the planet.

The Apollo 13 crew previously held the record, traveling 248,655 miles from Earth during their dramatic emergency return mission more than five decades ago.

Wiseman’s family watched the historic moment unfold from the viewing gallery on the ground.

When mission control told him his two daughters were smiling as they saw their dad on a big screen, the commander responded by forming his hands into a heart, a quiet sign of love sent across more than 250,000 miles of space.

Weisman then radioed to NASA’s Mission Control: ‘From the cabin of Integrity, as we surpass the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honor of the extraordinary efforts and achievements of those who came before us in human space exploration.

‘We will continue our journey even farther before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything we hold dear, but we must use this moment to challenge this generation and the next to ensure this record is not long-lived.’

The crew also spotted an unnamed crater on the moon, labeling it ‘Carroll’ after Wiseman’s wife, who died of cancer in 2020.

The four-person team reached a maximum distance of 252,757 miles from Earth at 1.57pm ET, becoming the farthest humans ever to travel from the planet

Reid Wiseman’s family watched the historic moment unfold from the viewing gallery on the ground. When mission control told him his two daughters were smiling as they saw their dad on a big screen, the commander responded by forming his hands into a heart

The Artemis II milestone is just one of several historic moments expected Monday, as the astronauts prepare to become the first humans in decades to view the Moon’s far side with the naked eye, bringing them within 4,070 miles of the lunar surface.

Later in the mission, the crew is also set to witness a rare solar eclipse from lunar orbit, beginning at 8.35pm ET and lasting roughly one hour.

Capsule Communicator Jenni Gibbons radioed to the Artemis II crew from Mission Control: ‘On April 15, 1970, during the Apollo 13 mission, three explorers set the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from our home planet.

‘At that time, over 55 years ago, Lovell, Swigert and Haise flew 248,655 statute miles away from Earth. Today, for all humanity, you’re pushing beyond that frontier.’ 

NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd and others also marked the milestone by emailing the crew with ‘the longest person-to-person message ever sent in human history.’ 

The crew is now heading toward the far side of the moon, the lunar hemisphere that permanently faces away from Earth. 

Unlike the familiar near side, it features a rugged, cratered terrain with a thicker crust and fewer dark volcanic plains.

Moments after breaking the Apollo record, Hansen got on the radio to announce two newly named craters. 

Reid Wiseman, commander of Artemis II, is a single parent to his daughters Ellie and Katherine. They lost their mother, Carroll, in 2020 to cancer

Weisman lost his wife Carroll (left) to cancer in 2020

One crater was named ‘Integrity,’ after the Orion capsule used by the crew during the historic mission.

‘If you were to look at Orientale on the far side and then draw a line straight up to Ohm on the far side, relatively in the middle is an unnamed crater, and we would like to suggest it be called Integrity,’ Hansen said. 

But the most emotional moment came when Hansen revealed the name of a second crater. ‘It’s a bright spot on the Moon, and we would like to call it Carroll,’ he said.

Wiseman and Koch could be seen wiping away tears. 

The announcement prompted the astronauts to embrace, while mission control in Houston fell silent in a rare moment of reflection.

This is a developing story… More updates to come. 

This is the moment the BBC’s science editor was left in tears during NASA’s Artemis II lift-off. 

The spacecraft will take four astronauts on the first manned mission to reach the moon since 1972.     

It officially launched yesterday evening on its mammoth 285,000-mile (1.1 million km) round trip to the dark side of the moon before returning to Earth on April 6. 

The BBC‘s Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle joined hundreds of other spectators in Florida to witness the historic launch. 

As Artemis II’s booster ignitions are activated, sending large plumes of smoke billowing across the launch pad, the excitable reporter can be heard saying ‘oh my goodness’ and repeatedly clapping.

The rocket then blasts off into the sky to thunderous cheers from crowds gathered at the Kennedy Space Centre.

‘Oh my goodness that is spectacular,’ a visibly emotional Ms Morelle said. 

‘It’s not just want you see and you hear as the rocket lifts off. You can feel the force of it through your body. This is the most powerful rocket that NASA has ever built.’ 

The BBC’s Science Editor, Rebecca Morelle (pictured) joined hundreds of other spectators in Florida to witness the historic launch

Artemis II officially launched yesterday evening on its mammoth round trip to the dark side of the moon before returning to Earth on April 6

The roaring engines of the massive spacecraft then interrupt Ms Morelle as it commences its journey towards the stars.

She can be seen struggling to be heard over the thunderous noise as she looks over her shoulder at the rocket in wonder. 

Artemis II will take American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen farther into space than any human has ever gone before, breaking the previous record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. 

Four minutes into the historic journey, Artemis II crossed the boundary into space with no issues with the flight reported and a clear view of their target destination. Mr Wiseman, the mission commander, said: ‘We have a beautiful moonrise. We’re headed right at it!’

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman reported that Artemis II suffered a temporary communications problem after launch and was still dealing with a ‘controller issue’ with the toilet on board the Orion capsule.

However, all major systems were still functioning and the crew was busy preparing for the next stages of their orbital burn over Earth before the space agency declared the spacecraft ready for its trip to the moon. 

Just after 6pm in the US, Mr Wiseman declared ‘Full send,’ as he and his crewmates sat atop NASA’s towering rocket, confirming they were ready for launch.

From mission control, launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson delivered an emotional message to the crew, telling them they carried ‘the heart of this Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people and our partners across the globe, and the hopes and dreams of this generation.’

From left to right: Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch

‘Good luck. Godspeed, Artemis II. Let’s go,’ she said, following the final launch checks. 

The crew will spend the first one to two days conducting extensive systems checks.

These include testing Orion’s life-support, propulsion, navigation and communications systems to ensure the spacecraft is ​ready to head into deep space.

Once checkouts are complete, Orion’s propulsion system will perform ​a critical engine burn known as translunar injection, sending the spacecraft out of Earth orbit and onto a trajectory ‌toward ⁠the moon.

It will take three to four days for the Artemis II crew to reach the moon, with the Orion spacecraft projected to enter what NASA calls the moon’s sphere of influence on day five.

This is the point at which lunar gravity overtakes Earth’s pull and begins guiding the spacecraft toward its destination.

Day six is likely to be historic for NASA and the rest of humanity, as Artemis II conducts its lunar flyby and travels to the dark side of the moon.

The spacecraft will not only reach a point farther from Earth than any previous crewed mission, but NASA confirmed that the astronauts will be able to see a lunar eclipse – when the moon blocks out the sun. 

After looping around the moon, the Orion craft will begin its return journey, leaving the moon’s gravitational influence and heading back toward Earth.

It will take another four days to return, which the astronauts will fill by conducting key safety demonstrations, including testing procedures designed to shield the crew from dangerous solar radiation from solar flares. The crew will also practice manually steering the spacecraft.

As Orion approaches Earth, it will separate key components before plunging into the ⁠atmosphere ​at speeds of about 25,000 miles per hour (40,233 kph).

Testing ​the capsule’s heat shield during high-energy re-entry is one of the mission’s primary objectives.

The spacecraft is expected to splash down ​in the Pacific Ocean, where recovery teams will retrieve the crew.

Parachutes will deploy to slow the spacecraft before it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, bringing the landmark mission to an end. 

Artemis III, NASA’s next space mission, is set to launch in 2027 and will see two astronauts land on the surface of the moon and stay there for about a week. 

This will be the first time man has set foot on the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972. 

By RACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and CHRIS MELORE and STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR and KATRINA SCHOLLENBERGER, US HEAD OF LIVE NEWS

Updated: 17:59 EDT, 1 April 2026

The countdown clock has begun this afternoon for the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission to the moon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The countdown began at 4.44pm EST with a two hour launch window starting at 6.24pm EST, depending on weather. If the early April window is missed, mission managers will wait for the next best orbital alignment, with backup windows scheduled throughout the week until April 6. 

The launch was delayed earlier as engineers worked on a critical safety issue within the rocket. 

Derrol Nail, a NASA commentator who is in the launch control room claimed there was a problem with the Space Launch System rocket’s flight termination system. If not corrected, the rocket wouldn’t have been able to take off.

Engineers also discovered a problem with the battery on the launch abort system, which ejects the capsule containing the astronauts away from the rocket in case of an issue during flight.  

Artemis II will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the first mission to reach the moon since 1972.

The ten-day journey will see the astronauts launch into orbit Wednesday night, and then separate their Orion spacecraft from the launch vehicle, break out of low-Earth orbit, circle the moon and then return.

The historic flight is the first step in NASA’s new multi-step to land on the moon by 2028 at the earliest.

 

Follow the Daily Mail for the latest updates

Breaking:NASA launch team working on battery issue that could threaten final countdown

NASA communications officials Derrol Nail has reported that launch team technicians are currently troubleshooting an issue with a battery on board the rocket which had a temperature ‘out of range.’

‘Although it’s not a constraint for launch right now, it would be when that temperature is checked in side of T-minus six minutes,’ Nail said.

Currently, NASA workers are not sure if the issue is a problem with the battery itself or with the sensor which monitors its temperature.

The countdown is continuing while technicians work to determine the cause of the problem and correct it before launch time at 6.24pm ET.

WATCH: Historic moment NASA’s Artemis II crew head to the launchpad

Anne Wilson to sing National Anthem for launch

American Christian singer Anne Wilson will perform the National Anthem for the Artemis II launch.

‘As America prepares to send astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, her voice will help open this historic moment,’ NASA wrote on X.

Weather forecast for launch upgraded less than 60 minutes to launch

NASA weather officer Mark Burger reported that the weather at the Kennedy Space Center has improved, giving Wednesday’s launch of Artemis II a 90 percent chance of an on-time launch.

Previously, Burger had said there was an 80 percent chance of the launch window avoiding any rain that was forecasted to be in the area around Florida.

Astronauts on International Space Station watching Artemis II launch

Astronauts on the International Space Station posted on social media that they are watching the Artemis II launch.

‘Godspeed, Artemis II!’ astronaut Jessica Meir wrote on X.

Orion’s hatch is close

The door of the Orion spacecraft is closed, marking the completion of one of the most critical steps for the Artemis II crew.

Inside the White Room at Launch Complex 39B, the controlled-access point where the astronauts entered the spacecraft, the closeout crew inspected seals, secured fasteners and verified that the hatch was airtight.

This process ensures Orion is fully pressurized and ready for flight. Once the hatch is closed and locked, the astronauts are officially sealed inside their spacecraft, marking a major milestone on the path to liftoff.

Breaking:NASA fixes potentially critical problem with Artemis II… Rocket declared ‘a go for launch’

NASA revealed that a problem with the flight terminiation system has been fixed after technicians scrambled to use gear from the now decommissioned space shuttles to correct an issue with Artemis II.

NASA communications official Derrol Nail said: ‘The range is go.’

‘You combine that with the fact that the rocket and ground systems here are also working, no constraints, clear board here is great news.’

With the potentially critical systems problem corrected. Launch of Artemis II is still on track for 6.24pm ET.

Eight-year-old Rise creator reflects on winning design contest

Lucas Ye’s design for the zero gravity indicators was picked from over 2,600 submissions and also won him a trip to watch the Artemis II launch from Kennedy Space Center.

The 8-year-old from California told NASA the plushie’s designed was inspired by the iconic Earthrise photo taken during Apollo 8.

He said he was, ‘Really, really, really, really, really, really, really surprised and very happy’ to win and be here.

What is the Artemis II mission plan?

The 32–story Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is set to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a two-hour launch window beginning at 6.24pm ET.

The mission is set to last 10 days, and the four astronauts on board will reside in the Orion capsule atop the rocket.

After liftoff, the astronauts will spend the first 25 hours circling Earth in a high, lopsided orbit. They’ll use the separated upper stage as a target, steering their Orion capsule around it as docking practice for future moonshots.

If all goes as planned, Orion’s main engine will hurl the crew to the moon some 244,000 miles away.

On flight day six, Orion will reach its farthest point from Earth as it sails 5,000 miles beyond the moon.

After emerging from behind the moon, the crew will head straight home with a splashdown on flight day 10.

Breaking:NASA issues ‘no go’ for Artemis II launch after critical system failure as teams scramble to fix issue

Less than two hours prior to the launch of Artemis II, NASA reported that the flight termination system is currently a ‘no-go,’ meaning the problem will need to be corrected before the rocket can safely launch Wednesday night.

Officials at Kennedy Space Center revealed that the ‘range is working,’ meaning that technicians were looking into an issue at the launch site, even though no other issues with the rocket were causing the launch countdown to stop.

NASA communications officials Derrol Nail: ‘Every rocket has a flight termination system. It’s the system that the eastern range here uses in order to, send a destruct signal to a rocket in case it veers off path.’

‘So it’s a very critical importance safety component, in terms of how the range keeps the public safe here, we understand that the flight termination system, they’re working in an issue.’

‘The bottom line of all this is at this moment, the range is no go up. But that is not stopping us from moving forward in the countdown.’

‘We can continue to, process and work the countdown. The closeout crew will continue to do their work, and and the launch team will continue to do their work as well.’

This is a breaking story. More details to follow.

WATCH: Artemis II launch – What to expect from historic moon mission

Exclusive:NASA administrator Jared Isaacman discusses the Artemis II launch

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman sat down with the Daily Mail to talk about President Donald Trump’s plan to return to the moon.