The Pacific Ocean welcomed the heroes at the "golden hour": at sunset, several hundred miles west of San Diego, the 10-day Artemis II mission came to a close. The four astronauts who flew around the Moon were safely brought aboard the recovery vessel USS John P. Murtha.
A breathtaking rescue at the "front porch"
Extracting the crew from the Orion capsule proved a true test of naval aviation skill. The astronauts were lifted into helicopters from what is known as the "front porch" — a platform beside the capsule.
The helicopters hovered just 12 metres above the water, sending powerful sprays of seawater in every direction from their rotors. The first three astronauts were hoisted aboard, with mission commander Reid Wiseman being the last to leave the platform. Recovery specialists noted that helicopter evacuation was chosen as the fastest and safest way to get the crew to the medical bay after their 695,000-mile journey.
Aboard the ship: embraces and a presidential call
Some 550 personnel awaited the crew aboard the USS John P. Murtha, greeting them with applause.
Victor Glover (pilot) and Christina Koch (mission specialist) were the first to step onto the deck. Witnesses noted that Glover made no effort to hide his joy — he was smiling constantly, saluting those present, and embracing colleagues warmly.
Jeremy Hansen and commander Reid Wiseman arrived on the second helicopter. Despite their extended time in weightlessness, all four appeared energetic and in good spirits.
A memorable moment came when the US President called NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman directly aboard the ship to congratulate the agency on the historic achievement. Isaacman himself admitted he felt "like a kid," overjoyed at the crew's safe return.
Why this matters
This mission marked the first time humans had returned to the vicinity of the Moon since 1972. As NASA spokesperson Ahmed Shatria noted, while the architects of the Apollo programme aimed simply to reach the Moon, the goal of Artemis is to learn to live and work in space over the long term.
"After 53 years, we are finally ready to return to the Moon — to stay," the agency emphasised, pointing out that 25 years of experience aboard the ISS has made possible the technologies needed for long-duration space exploration.
Following an initial medical examination by Dr. Rick Shering, the crew proceeded to the medical bay for further recovery. Ahead of them lies a triumphant return to shore and the analysis of data that will help the next mission achieve a landing on the lunar surface.
"We came back to stay": Artemis II crew safely returns to Earth after historic lunar voyage
Artemis II Crew Extraction After Splashdown! This Is What Happened Next
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