Summary
The Artemis II mission successfully brought four astronauts back to Earth after a nine-day trip around the Moon. The spacecraft, Orion, made a safe return by splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed. This mission prepares for the next steps in the Artemis program, which plans to land humans on the Moon.
Key Facts
- Four astronauts, including one Canadian, returned safely from their Moon mission.
- Their spacecraft, Orion, traveled at speeds over 24,000 mph when re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
- The capsule, named Integrity, lost communication briefly due to extreme heat but landed successfully.
- The splashdown occurred within a mile of the targeted point in the Pacific Ocean.
- The astronauts were taken by helicopter to be medically checked on a nearby ship.
- President Donald Trump welcomed the astronauts back, inviting them to the White House.
- The Artemis program aims to eventually build a permanent base on the Moon.
