Artemis II Passes Return Test; Trump Hails Triumph: Next Stop Mars
NASA's Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' from the Artemis II mission successfully splashed down off Southern California, completing its return test. This crewed test flight sent astronauts further into deep space than ever before, covering approximately 1.11 million kilometers. The spacecraft orbited the Moon and withstood extreme forces during atmospheric re-entry, marking a crucial step for future lunar landings. Former President Trump praised the mission's success and declared Mars as the next goal.
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- 📰 Published: April 11, 2026 at 11:42
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- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 19:07 (103h 7m after Collected)
NASA's 'Integrity' Orion spacecraft, part of the 'Artemis II' mission, splashed down smoothly in the ocean off Southern California shortly after 5 PM Pacific Time, using parachutes, concluding its mission that sent astronauts further into deep space than anyone before.
The 'Artemis II' journey covered approximately 1,117,515 kilometers, crossed Earth's orbit twice, and performed a dramatic lunar flyby about 405,555 kilometers from Earth.
Reuters reported that this was the first crewed test flight in the Artemis series of missions, which aims to start sending astronauts to the lunar surface from 2028.
The splashdown process, about two hours before sunset, was broadcast live via NASA's web stream.
The recovery team was already on standby to secure the floating capsule and retrieve the crew: 50-year-old American astronaut Reid Wiseman, 49-year-old Victor Glover, 47-year-old Christina Koch, and 50-year-old Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The crew's return cleared the final critical hurdle for the Lockheed Martin-built Orion spacecraft, proving its ability to withstand the extreme forces of re-entering Earth's atmosphere from lunar orbit.
Before splashdown, the capsule endured a nail-biting 13-minute fiery plunge, with friction heat generated during atmospheric re-entry causing the capsule's exterior temperature to soar to around 2760 degrees Celsius.
During the peak of atmospheric re-entry pressure, as expected, intense heat and air compression formed a layer of superheated ionized gas (plasma) around the capsule, causing radio communication with the crew to be interrupted for several minutes.
The tension finally eased when communication was re-established, and two parachutes deployed from the free-falling capsule's nose, reducing its descent speed to about 25 kilometers per hour, before the Orion capsule gently touched the water.
NASA and U.S. Navy teams are expected to spend about an hour securing the floating capsule, assisting the four astronauts out of the vehicle, and transporting them to a nearby recovery ship for initial medical examinations.
This journey followed the uncrewed Artemis I test mission, which completed a lunar orbit in 2022, becoming a crucial rehearsal for humanity's first attempt to land on the Moon since Apollo 17 in late 1972. The ultimate goal of the Artemis program is to establish a long-term base on the Moon as a stepping stone for future human exploration of Mars.
U.S. President Trump immediately praised the astronauts shortly after their splashdown in the Pacific, completing their lunar journey, and looked forward to the ultimate goal of sending missions to Mars.
Trump said on his social media platform 'Truth Social': 'Congratulations to the great and talented crew of Artemis II. The entire journey was spectacular, and the landing was perfect. As President of the United States, I am incredibly proud!'
He added: 'I look forward to seeing all of you at the White House soon. We will restart the mission, and then, the next step is Mars!' (Compiled by: Li Pei-shan) 1150411
The 'Artemis II' journey covered approximately 1,117,515 kilometers, crossed Earth's orbit twice, and performed a dramatic lunar flyby about 405,555 kilometers from Earth.
Reuters reported that this was the first crewed test flight in the Artemis series of missions, which aims to start sending astronauts to the lunar surface from 2028.
The splashdown process, about two hours before sunset, was broadcast live via NASA's web stream.
The recovery team was already on standby to secure the floating capsule and retrieve the crew: 50-year-old American astronaut Reid Wiseman, 49-year-old Victor Glover, 47-year-old Christina Koch, and 50-year-old Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The crew's return cleared the final critical hurdle for the Lockheed Martin-built Orion spacecraft, proving its ability to withstand the extreme forces of re-entering Earth's atmosphere from lunar orbit.
Before splashdown, the capsule endured a nail-biting 13-minute fiery plunge, with friction heat generated during atmospheric re-entry causing the capsule's exterior temperature to soar to around 2760 degrees Celsius.
During the peak of atmospheric re-entry pressure, as expected, intense heat and air compression formed a layer of superheated ionized gas (plasma) around the capsule, causing radio communication with the crew to be interrupted for several minutes.
The tension finally eased when communication was re-established, and two parachutes deployed from the free-falling capsule's nose, reducing its descent speed to about 25 kilometers per hour, before the Orion capsule gently touched the water.
NASA and U.S. Navy teams are expected to spend about an hour securing the floating capsule, assisting the four astronauts out of the vehicle, and transporting them to a nearby recovery ship for initial medical examinations.
This journey followed the uncrewed Artemis I test mission, which completed a lunar orbit in 2022, becoming a crucial rehearsal for humanity's first attempt to land on the Moon since Apollo 17 in late 1972. The ultimate goal of the Artemis program is to establish a long-term base on the Moon as a stepping stone for future human exploration of Mars.
U.S. President Trump immediately praised the astronauts shortly after their splashdown in the Pacific, completing their lunar journey, and looked forward to the ultimate goal of sending missions to Mars.
Trump said on his social media platform 'Truth Social': 'Congratulations to the great and talented crew of Artemis II. The entire journey was spectacular, and the landing was perfect. As President of the United States, I am incredibly proud!'
He added: 'I look forward to seeing all of you at the White House soon. We will restart the mission, and then, the next step is Mars!' (Compiled by: Li Pei-shan) 1150411
FAQ
What is the main objective of the Artemis II mission?
The main objective of the Artemis II mission is to conduct a crewed test flight for future lunar landing missions, sending astronauts into deep space and verifying the spacecraft's resilience during atmospheric re-entry.
What is the ultimate goal of the Artemis program?
The ultimate goal of the Artemis program is to establish a long-term base on the Moon, serving as a stepping stone for future human exploration of Mars.