Pacific Ocean, United States – Four astronauts from Nasa’s Artemis II mission have safely splashed down after completing a nine-day journey that took them farther from Earth than any humans before.

The Orion spacecraft reentered Earth’s atmosphere at more than 24,000mph, with its heatshield enduring temperatures reaching half the heat of the Sun’s surface. During the descent, the capsule, named Integrity, lost communication with mission control for six minutes due to the extreme conditions.

Relief came when Commander Reid Wiseman confirmed contact, saying: “Houston, Integrity here. We hear you loud and clear.” Moments later, parachutes deployed successfully, guiding the capsule toward the ocean.

Nasa commentator Rob Navias described the landing as “A perfect bull’s eye splashdown for Integrity and its four astronauts.”

The crew — Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — were removed from the capsule and transported by helicopter to the USS John P Murtha for medical checks. They are expected to return to Houston on Saturday to reunite with their families.

President Donald Trump called the mission “spectacular” and invited the astronauts to visit the White House.

Flight Director Rick Henfling said there had been both anxiety and confidence during the return, adding: “We all breathed a sigh of relief once the (capsule’s) side hatch opened up.” He confirmed the crew is “happy and healthy.”

Lori Glaze praised the astronauts’ teamwork and camaraderie, calling the mission “a mission for all of humanity.”

The final descent began when the service module detached, followed by a precise reentry angle that ensured a safe trajectory. Engineers had adjusted the spacecraft’s return method following concerns from a previous test flight, and the updated approach proved successful.

The Artemis programme now moves forward, aiming for future missions that will test orbital operations, land humans on the Moon, and eventually support a crewed journey to Mars.

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