The Artemis II mission is finally a wrap with a successful reentry and splashdown of the Orion capsule in the morning hours of IST at around 5:30 AM on April 11. The nearly 10 day mission to the far side of the moon and back saw NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman (50), Artemis II commander; NASA astronaut Victor Glover (49), Artemis II pilot; NASA astronaut Christina Koch (47), Artemis II mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen (50), Artemis II mission specialist, break the record for the furthest humanity has traveled from Earth at 252,756 miles on April 6, when the Orion crew made a 7-hour lunar flyby.
Meanwhile reacting to the crew’s return, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook remarked on X/Twitter.
Congratulations to Artemis II on a successful mission! You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights, and we’re grateful you shared it with the world. Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home!
“Welcome home!” wrote SpaceX’s billionaire boss Elon Musk as the aerospace firm also commented, “Welcome back to planet Earth!”
Blue Origin’s parent Amazon founder Jeff Bezos also extended his wishes on X/Twitter.
Welcome home, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! Huge congrats to all of NASA. Gradatim Ferociter!
Congratulations to Artemis II on a successful mission! You captured the wonders of space and our planet beautifully, taking iPhone photography to new heights, and we’re grateful you shared it with the world. Your work continues to inspire us all to think different. Welcome home!
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 11, 2026
🇺🇸🇺🇸 Welcome home! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 https://t.co/umHIWqm2sO
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 11, 2026
Welcome back to planet Earth! https://t.co/9mnM9dNCx6
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 11, 2026
Welcome home, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! Huge congrats to all of NASA. Gradatim Ferociter! https://t.co/VzsJMbFuji
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) April 11, 2026
🇺🇸
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) April 11, 2026
🎉 #Artemis II update: Integrity is back on Earth! At 01:07 BST/02:07 CEST, Orion and its crew splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
🚀 Our European Service Module propelled Orion over 1 million km through deep space, before burning up in Earth’s atmosphere, its job complete… pic.twitter.com/X7DeP3J3WH
— European Space Agency (@esa) April 11, 2026
Meanwhile, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman couldn’t have been more proud at the occasion for which the splashdown was as significant as the lunar flyby. On his official X/Twitter account, he wrote:
And splashdown! America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely. Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy did an outstanding job. These talented astronauts inspired the world and represented their space agencies and nations as humanity’s ambassadors to the stars.
Isaacman further added
This was a test mission, the first crewed flight of SLS and Orion, pushing farther into the unforgiving environment of space than ever before, and it carried real risk. They accepted that risk for all we stood to learn and for the exciting missions that follow, as we return to the lunar surface, build a Moon base, and prepare for what comes next.
He continued.
And they were not alone. The entire NASA workforce, our commercial and international partners, and the hopes and dreams of people all over the world were with them. The astronauts know it, and you should too. This mission would not have been possible without you.
Isaacman wrapped the post with fist held high.
Congratulations. Artemis II, mission accomplished.
America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely.
Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy did an outstanding job. These talented astronauts inspired the world and represented their space agencies and nations as… pic.twitter.com/wOioBBvGhX
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) April 11, 2026
See Also: NASA Admin Jared Isaacman Reacts To 10-Year-OId Kaela’s Cute Letter To Make Pluto Planet Again
See Also: Splashdown! Artemis II Crew Return Safely To Earth
You can watch the reentry and splashdown again at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=live/nfhDuO
Cover: NASA / Twitter
