'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, 7:36 PM EDT

Artemis II launch in photos

NASA's Artemis II mission launched on Wednesday evening, beginning the crew's 685,000-mile, 10-day journey to and from the moon.

The Orion spacecraft will loop astronauts around the moon and go farther into deep space than humans have ever traveled.

Here's a look at the launch in photos:

NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Joe Skipper/Reuters
NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
People observe the launch of Artemis II from the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville, Fla., on April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Gerardo Mora/Getty Images
The Space Launch System rocket carrying NASA's Artemis II Orion crew capsule ascends after liftoff, with its solid rocket boosters already detached, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Steve Nesius/Reuters
Apr 01, 2026, 7:11 PM EDT

Orion's solar arrays fully deployed

Orion's solar arrays are now fully deployed, powering the spacecraft as it continues its journey toward the moon.

In about an hour, the crew will be in high Earth orbit, and will remain there for about 24 hours to conduct systems checks.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

Apr 01, 2026, 7:01 PM EDT

'World will be watching': Sen. Maria Cantwell says of Artemis II crew

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, said Artemis II will establish the foundation for future missions.

"The world will be watching in awe as the Artemis II crew pushes the limits of what humanity can do by traveling around the moon," Cantwell said in a statement. "This trip lays the groundwork for returning to the moon's surface and staying there."

Apr 01, 2026, 6:45 PM EDT

Artemis II crew reaches its initial orbit

The four-person Artemis II crew has reached its initial orbit, one of the first steps as the astronauts head to the moon.

The team will spend about 90 minutes in initial orbit before the second stage fires its engines twice to send Orion to a high Earth elliptical.

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