Artemis II astronauts actively shared experiences via live calls, press conferences from Orion [Watch]

Artemis II (launched April 1, 2026) successfully completed its historic crewed lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. The four-person crew NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist), and Jeremy Hansen (CSA Mission Specialist) became the first humans to view the Moon’s far side in over 50 years, traveled farther from Earth than any previous crew (surpassing Apollo 13’s record at ~252,000+ miles), and are now on their return journey.

Splashdown is scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026 (evening) in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego.

Recent Media Updates (as of April 9, 2026): The crew has been actively sharing experiences via live calls, press conferences from Orion, and transmitted images/footage while heading back to Earth.

LIVE: Artemis II astronauts answer media questions as they continue their journey toward Earth following their record-breaking lunar flyby. https://t.co/iAN74RMaRk

— NASA (@NASA) April 9, 2026

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Key Updates:

Return journey underway
The crew has completed the lunar flyby and is now on a gravity-assisted return trajectory to Earth, with splashdown expected in the Pacific.

Record-breaking distance achieved
Astronauts travelled over 252,000 miles from Earth, becoming the farthest humans ever in space, surpassing Apollo-era records.

Historic firsts during return
Crew made a record “space-to-space” call with the ISS, spanning ~230,000 miles — a first in human spaceflight.

Emotional reflections from space
Astronauts described the mission as a “relay race” for future explorers, emphasizing lessons for upcoming lunar missions.

Rare space phenomena observed
Witnessed a solar eclipse from the Moon’s far side, an experience crew said was “breathtaking”.

Scientific work continues during return
Ongoing experiments include studying the solar corona, monitoring meteoroid impacts, and testing astronaut health systems for re-entry.

Iconic imagery released
NASA shared first-ever human-captured views of the Moon’s far side, including Earthrise and eclipse visuals.

Symbolic gestures & legacy moments
Crew proposed naming lunar craters “Integrity” (after their Orion spacecraft) and “Carroll” (after Wiseman’s late wife).

Preparation for re-entry
Astronauts are now stowing equipment and conducting trajectory corrections ahead of a high-speed atmospheric re-entry.

Mission significance
The mission is seen as a critical stepping stone for future Moon landings and Mars missions, with data feeding into upcoming Artemis flights. The mission has been a major success so far, paving the way for future Artemis landings.

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Artemis II mission: LUCA and LESA support Artemis safety, success as crew prepares return journey

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