Artemis II crew welcomed home as Nasa looks to the future

WorldSpace
12 Apr 2026 • 3:57 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Artemis II crew welcomed home as Nasa looks to the future

  • The four-person Artemis II crew received a hero's welcome in Houston after splashing down to Earth following their mission around the moon.
  • Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen returned to Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center.
  • During their nearly 10-day mission, the astronauts voyaged deeper into space than previous lunar explorers, capturing views of the moon's far side and an 'Earthset' photo.
  • They set a new distance record, reaching 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometres) from Earth, surpassing Apollo 13's record.
  • The successful mission is crucial for NASA's future plans, including Artemis III next year and the Artemis IV moon landing scheduled for 2028.

IN FULL