Space Shuttle Program Missions

Notable firsts of Artemis II moon mission so far

Highlights: Artemis II astronauts splash down safely after NASA moon mission

The four crew members of NASA's Artemis II moon mission are set to return to Earth this evening, with a targeted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at 8:07 p.m. ET.

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WATCH: A look at some of NASA’s most important missions as humans prepare to return to the Moon on Artemis II

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NASA’s Artemis II mission will take an astronaut crew around the Moon – a space policy expert describes the long road to launch

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Artemis II Astronauts Hurtle Home From Moon Toward Splashdown

The four Artemis II astronauts, returning from ⁠the ⁠world's first crewed moon voyage in over half a ⁠century, hurtled back toward Earth on Friday aboard their gumdrop-shaped Orion spacecraft, headed ...

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Artemis II's moon-traveling astronauts return home to cheers after a record-breaking trip

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Countdown to Artemis splashdown

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NASA’s Artemis II Crew Splashes Down After History-Making Moon Mission

That will set up the capsule to dive into the Earth’s atmosphere, putting to the test a heat shield designed to protect the ship and astronauts.

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From blast off to splashdown: My days following Nasa's historic mission to the Moon

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Artemis splashdown: Here's what we know today and what's next

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The recycled space shuttle parts that will power Artemis II towards the moon

The Artemis II mission around the moon will be a brilliant last hurrah for several space shuttle engines and booster rocket parts that first flew as far back as 1982.

News 6 WKMG

Artemis II: New mission, old hardware – less recycling

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The Artemis II mission has ended. Where does NASA go from here?

NASA recently revised its mission plans for Artemis III and IV, to provide a stepping stone mission before undertaking the landing of humans on the Moon. Much, and more, work needs to be done to make those flights happen. And to be perfectly blunt, the Artemis II mission that concluded Friday was the lowest hanging fruit of the Artemis Program.

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Artemis II’s long countdown – a space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the Moon

While I was leading a tour of the National Air and Space Museum in January 2026, a visitor posed this insightful question: “Why has it taken so long to return to the Moon?” After all, NASA had the know-how and technology to send humans to the lunar surface more than 50 years ago as part of the Apollo program.

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'I'm making history.' Sacramento space scientist's hand in Artemis II mission

The Artemis II mission has held the world's rapt attention for days, from liftoff to each history-making moment in space. For one Sacramento space scientist, the mission is extra meaningful.

Smithsonian Magazine

What Lies Beyond Artemis 2? These Other Missions Are Setting Their Sights on the Moon This Year—and on a Future With Humans in Space

As the historic lunar flyby comes to a close, space companies and nations around the world are also shooting for the moon. Upcoming landings aim to change the landscape of space exploration