For the first time in 54 years, the world watched in awe as four astronauts braved space and splashed down safely in the Pacific, their record-breaking lunar journey captivating all who followed every moment.
Kehinde Adegoke | International Agencies
Imagine the excitement: After 54 years, Artemis II returned to Earth with its courageous crew, wrapping up a lunar adventure that had millions around the globe holding their breath.
NASA reported Artemis II Orion ended its 10-day lunar orbit with a splashdown in the Pacific off San Diego at 9:07 a.m. (Korean time) on the 11th. The crew, who launched from the Kennedy Space Centre on the 2nd, were all found to be in good health.
The Artemis II mission was the first human mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Its crew reached a point 406,778 km away from Earth, a distance that surpassed the previous record for the longest crewed flight. Apollo 13 set that record in 1970, reaching approximately 400,171 km.biting.
As Orion hurtled into Earth’s atmosphere at nearly 38,000 km/h, onlookers held their breath as its heat shield endured a furnace-like 2,760 degrees Celsius.
For six tense minutes, a communication blackout left the world in suspense. Relief washed over mission control as the 11 parachutes finally deployed, gently lowering Orion into the sea at 32 km/h.
Risk factors were present in this re-entry. During the uncrewed 2022 test flight, Artemis I’s heat shield lost material at over 100 locations—a concern. As a response, NASA opted for a steeper, faster direct-entry approach for Artemis II, shifting away from the existing skip re-entry method.
This adjustment aimed to reduce the duration the heat shield was exposed to extreme heat. Re astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. As part of this mission, a woman, a Black person, and a foreign national astronaut flew together on a lunar mission for the first time.
Throughout the flight, touching moments drew the crew—and anyone hearing their story—closer. Imagine being there as Hansen suggested, naming a lunar crater after Commander Wiseman’s late wife, Carol. Wiseman, overwhelmed, called it the most unforgettable moment, while Koch and Glover wiped away tears, sharing in the deeply human experience.
After days in space, the astronauts eagerly anticipated their first meal back—“Uncrustable” sandwiches, which were off-limits during the flight to keep the spacecraft crumb-free. Understanding their craving, the U.S. Navy made sure a stack of sandwiches was waiting for them on the USS John P. Mercer, sparking smiles all around.
After exiting Orion, the astronauts were flown by helicopter to the USS John P. Mercer for health checks. They then relocated to NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston. NASA will attempt a lunar landing in Artemis III.