'Welcome home, Artemis': Crew celebrates historic 10-day moon mission

After their historic lunar flyby, the crew safely splashed down in the Pacific.

Last Updated: April 11, 2026, 5:12 PM EDT

NASA's Artemis II mission lifted off on April 1 at 6:35 p.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The four-person crew completed a 695,081-mile, 10-day journey around the moon, also known as a lunar fly-by.

A "textbook" splashdown took place at 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday, April 10.

Apr 01, 2026, 4:17 PM EDT

Hatch seal check completed on Orion spacecraft

The closeout crew has completed its hatch seal check for the Orion crew module's side hatch, which allows them to watch for any loss of pressure over time or making sure the door is completely airtight.

Engineers are focusing on conducting a full cabin leak check before moving forward with closing the second hatch on the Orion spacecraft, which is the Launch Abort System hatch.

A member of the close out crew closes the hatch on the Orion crew module at the top of the Artemis II rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
NASA

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

Apr 01, 2026, 3:48 PM EDT

1 of 2 hatches closed on Orion spacecraft

The closeout crew has now closed the side hatch, one of two hatches on the Orion crew module. The remaining hatch that the team is working to close is the Launch Abort System hatch.

This comes after the space agency confirmed that the spacesuits of all four astronauts passed their leak checks while in the Orion module, which once again tested the suits' pressure, ensuring they are airtight.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

Apr 01, 2026, 2:51 PM EDT

Artemis II astronauts enter Orion crew module

With the help of their closeout crew, the Artemis II astronauts have entered the Orion crew module, which they named "Integrity."

CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen boards the Orion spacecraft at the top of the Artemis II rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
NASA

This mission will be the first time humans travel into space on Orion.

Artemis II will be a crucial step in testing the systems on the spacecraft for future deep space missions back to the moon.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

Apr 01, 2026, 2:29 PM EDT

Artemis II astronauts arrive at launchpad

The Artemis II crew has arrived at the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA has said the four astronauts remain on track to launch at 6:24 p.m. ET.

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