Pacific Ocean – A U.S. Navy dive medical team made first contact with NASA astronauts after the Artemis II spacecraft returned to Earth following a deep space mission.

The operation took place on April 10, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean, where the Orion spacecraft was recovered after splashdown.

The USS John P. Murtha was underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations in support of NASA’s Artemis II mission, assisting with the recovery of both the crew and spacecraft after their return.

NASA’s Artemis II mission carried four astronauts on a flight around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, marking the first human journey into deep space in over 50 years.

The Navy dive medical team conducted the initial contact with the astronauts after their return to Earth following splashdown.

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