Artemis II Splashdown – In Pictures

On Friday, four astronauts successfully returned to Earth, landing in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. This event marks the conclusion of the Artemis II mission, which involved a historic flyby around the Moon. The mission is seen as a significant step in NASA's efforts to return humans to the lunar surface and further explore space.

The crew's safe return has been celebrated as a pivotal moment in space exploration, with officials highlighting that this is "just the beginning" of future lunar missions. The Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, paving the way for potential manned missions to Mars.

As the world watches, the images from the splashdown capture the excitement and significance of this achievement in the context of international space exploration efforts.

For more visuals and details about the mission, you can view the gallery linked below.

Source: www.theguardian.com – https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2026/apr/11/artemis-ii-splashdown-in-pictures