By Luis Giraldo and Mark Osborne
April 10, 2026 / CBS News
The Artemis II mission concluded with a Pacific Ocean splashdown Friday night, capping a landmark human journey around the Moon. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen traveled farther from Earth than any humans in more than five decades. Below are nine memorable moments from their mission.
1. Liftoff from Florida
The crew launched from Kennedy Space Center on the evening of April 1, riding NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule. It was the first crewed lunar launch since Apollo, and the first time Orion and SLS carried people — their earlier flight was uncrewed. The ascent went smoothly and provided a picture-perfect start to the 10-day mission.
2. A full-system checkout in low Earth orbit
After reaching orbit the crew spent roughly 24 hours circling Earth to verify Orion’s systems before committing to the lunar leg. About 90% of the life-support hardware had never operated with humans in space, so the team ran environmental control and CO2-scrubbing checks and tested manual flight controls in preparation for deeper space operations.
3. The first human-view Earth photos from Orion
Early in the mission the astronauts shared stunning images of the full Earth taken from inside Orion — the first such views from that capsule in over 50 years. Reid Wiseman’s photographs and the crew’s reactions highlighted the mission’s emotional and symbolic impact, with Glover noting that the view underscores a shared humanity.
4. Quiet days en route, and an Easter celebration
The multi-day transit to lunar distance gave the crew time to relax, reflect and prepare for the lunar flyby. They observed Easter while still en route and enjoyed quiet moments watching the Moon grow larger through the capsule windows. Hansen also celebrated a personal milestone — earning his gold astronaut wings on this, his first trip to space.
5. A personal tribute on the lunar surface
In a poignant moment, the crew chose to name a small lunar crater “Carroll” in honor of Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who died in 2020. Jeremy Hansen announced the dedication during the mission, and the gesture moved the crew deeply; Wiseman later described it as one of the mission’s most meaningful experiences.
6. A record-setting distance from Earth
When Orion passed behind the Moon and out of radio contact, the crew set a new record for the farthest humans have ever been from Earth: about 252,756 miles. That milestone exceeded Apollo 13’s 1970 distance by more than 4,000 miles and occurred during the mission’s far-side flyby.
7. Rare views of the Moon’s far side and a space-only eclipse
The team captured spectacular photos of the Moon’s far side and recorded a solar eclipse visible only from their vantage point. The images — both scientifically valuable and visually striking — showed the lunar terminator’s sculpted landscape and an hourlong eclipse that astronauts said was hard to describe in words.
8. Reflections on distance and perspective
As Orion curved away from the Moon and pointed homeward, the crew shared their impressions of the lunar surface and the psychological effect of being temporarily out of contact with Earth. They described vast, seemingly bottomless craters and the visceral experience of watching their home planet disappear behind the Moon during the communications blackout.
9. A fiery return and safe splashdown
Reentry began roughly 75 miles above the Pacific at speeds near 24,000 mph. Orion’s heat shield reached temperatures around 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit as the capsule endured peak heating and a brief communications blackout. Parachutes slowed the vehicle for a final splashdown off the coast of Southern California, bringing the four astronauts safely home after a historic flight.
The Artemis II mission demonstrated crewed operation of Orion and SLS, provided unique science and imagery, and set the stage for future lunar exploration. Its milestones — technical, personal and symbolic — mark a major step forward in returning humans to the Moon and operating farther from Earth than anyone has flown in modern times.