- Artemis II mission astronauts have safely returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after their journey from the Moon.
- The crew, comprising NASA’s Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen, completed a fiery 15-minute descent.
- NASA described the return, which occurred around 7:07pm ET (1.07am GMT) on Friday, as "perfect" for the Artemis II crew.
- The Orion capsule's heat shield successfully protected the astronauts from extreme temperatures during re-entry, reaching up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Extensive testing and engineering data had bolstered confidence in the heat shield's technology, following issues encountered during the uncrewed Artemis I flight.
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