The Artemis II astronauts have safely returned to Earth after their historic voyage around the moon, with the Orion space capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Friday.
NASA officials held a press conference following the splashdown to provide updates on the crew's condition and the mission's success. The journey marked the first time astronauts have traveled to the moon since the Apollo era, representing a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program.
The crew now faces a period of post-flight medical evaluations and debriefings. Recovery teams were stationed off the California coast to retrieve the capsule and its occupants from the water.
The successful splashdown sets the stage for future Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the lunar surface. NASA is expected to outline next steps for both the crew and the broader program in the coming days.