The Artemis II Crew Begins Their Journey Home

The Artemis II mission is officially on its way home.

After a historic lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, the crew of the Orion spacecraft, nicknamed Integrity, is now traveling back to Earth.

The diverse crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

Together, they represent the first time humans have ventured this deep into space in over fifty years, with Hansen becoming the first Canadian to fly beyond low Earth orbit.

The team has been busy performing trajectory correction burns to prepare for their high-speed return through Earth's atmosphere.

If all goes as planned, the spacecraft will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on April 10, 2026.

This test flight is a vital stepping stone for NASA’s long-term goal: establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon and eventually sending humans to Mars.