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

The Artemis II crew spoke to reporters from aboard the Orion spacecraft as they near the end of their historic lunar mission.

Cmdr. Reid Wiseman described one of the mission's most powerful experiences: a tribute to his late wife, Carroll, when Hansen asked Mission Control for permission to name a lunar crater in her honor.

"That was kind of the pinnacle moment of the mission for me," Wiseman said. "That's where the four of us were the most forged, the most bonded."

The moment, he added, left the entire crew in tears and strengthened their connection as a team.

Pilot Victor Glover said the mission reaffirmed his long-held belief about Earth's fragility.

"It doesn't change it -- it absolutely reaffirms that we live on a fragile planet in the vacuum of space," he said. "It's almost like seeing living proof."

Despite witnessing the moon up close, he said the experience reinforced humanity's shared responsibility to "find joy and lifting each other up."

Mission specialist Christina Koch described life inside the spacecraft as both cramped and surprisingly fluid.

"Yes, it feels bigger in microgravity and yes, we are bumping into each other 100% of the time," she said, noting that even simple tasks become team efforts.

-ABC News' Jason Volack

The Artemis II crew is preparing to enter the final phase of its historic mission.

During Wednesday's mission status briefing, NASA’s reentry teams shared more about the readiness of the Orion spacecraft heading into splashdown day.

“And when the mission goes well, it can look like flying to the moon is easy," Lakeisha Hawkins, acting deputy associate administrator at NASA, said at the start of the conference. “It certainly is not.”

Engineers recently completed a final inspection of the Orion crew module, reviewing imagery of the spacecraft’s surface. At this point, NASA reports “no concerns” and “no issues” that would impact reentry.

The spacecraft is expected to reach a maximum speed of about 34,965 feet per second during reentry, and if all goes according to plan, astronauts can experience up to 3.9gs of force.

According to current forecasts, NASA flight director Rick Henfling says the weather is expected to cooperate for a Friday splashdown.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado and Matthew Glasser

Newly released photos from NASA capture the joy of the Artemis II crew after they looped around the far side of the moon

In one photo, entitled "Moon Joy," Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover take time for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on April 7 as they head home.

Also seen in the photos is the plushie, "Rise," designed by a second grader who won a contest for his toy to travel with the astronauts.

At just under 200,000 miles from Earth, the Artemis II crew is closing in on the final destination of its cosmic ride.

-ABC News' Briana Alvarado

The Artemis II crew awoke around 11:35 a.m. ET to the 1981 song "Under Pressure," by Queen and David Bowie.

The astronauts also received a message from the Canadian Space Agency, of which mission specialist Jeremy Hansen is part.

The message starts with audio counting down the crew's liftoff and Canadian Space Agency employees shouting, "Go Artemis II!"

"Your friends and colleagues at the Canadian Space Agency wish you another great day on your voyage," the message stated. "Canadians everywhere are inspired by your journey and we’re with you every step of the way. Let’s go!"