'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 06, 2026, 8:27 PM EDT

Artemis II pilot's daughter goes viral celebrating dad's moon mission

The daughter of NASA astronaut and Artemis II moon mission pilot Victor Glover has gone viral for celebrating her dad's role in the historic lunar flyby.

In a video posted Sunday on TikTok and Instagram, Maya Glover is seen unzipping a hooded sweatshirt to reveal a T-shirt printed with an image of her father. She then steps back from the camera, dancing before playfully losing track of the moves.

Maya L. Glover shared a viral video celebrating her dad, NASA astronaut Victor Glover, piloting Artemis II halfway to the moon.
Courtesy of Maya L. Glover

"When your dad successfully pilots Artemis II halfway to the moon… & you forget the dance," she wrote over the clip, set to Korn's "Freak on a Leash."

Read more here.

-ABC News’ Shafiq Najib

Apr 06, 2026, 7:44 PM EDT

'We will always choose Earth,' Artemis II astronaut says

After contact was regained with the Orion spacecraft, mission specialist Christina Koch shared a message with NASA’s Mission Control on behalf of the crew.

"We will explore, we will build, we will build ships, we will visit again," Koch said. "We will construct science outposts, we will drive rovers, we will do radio astronomy, we will found companies, we will bolster industry we will inspire, but -- ultimately -- we will always choose Earth, we will always choose each other."

NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch, seen here on the fourth day of the mission, prepping for lunar flyby activities after completing aerobic exercise on the flywheel device, April 5, 2026.
NASA

The crew is on its observation break, which will last about an hour, according to Mission Control.

Apr 06, 2026, 7:29 PM EDT

NASA regains communications with Artemis II crew

NASA Mission Control has regained contact with the Artemis II crew as the astronauts have swung around the far side of moon.

"Orion has technically begun its journey home," Mission Control stated.

Apr 06, 2026, 7:18 PM EDT

Orion reaches maximum distance from Earth

While passing around the far side of the moon, the Orion spacecraft reached its maximum distance from Earth at 252,760 miles.

A crescent shaped Earth is seen behind the crescent Moon as seen just before the Orion spacecraft flew on the back side of the Moon, April 6, 2026.
NASA

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