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NASA, Navy recover astronauts after successful Artemis II mission

by U.S. Department of War
April 24, 2026
All the Smiles
From left, NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman pose for a photo before transiting to the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha, April 10. Photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David Rowe

NASA and military forces, including Navy divers, worked to bring the four astronauts and the Orion spacecraft aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha April 10. The spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego after the nearly 10-day Artemis II mission around the moon and back for scientific discovery, economic benefits and to build on NASA’s foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen as recovery teams work to secure the spacecraft ahead of transferring Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist to USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT(8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Sea Hawk
Navy divers and Artemis II astronauts aboard an inflatable raft in the Pacific Ocean wait for an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter transport that will take them to the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha, April 10. Photo by James Blair, NASA
Orion Splashdown
NASA’s Orion spacecraft carrying the Artemis II crew splashes down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, April 10. Photo by Josh Valcarcel, NASA
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