Artemis II mission returns home

The Orion spacecraft, carrying three Americans and one Canadian, completed its 695,081-mile journey with a precise landing off the coast of San Diego.

This mission surpassed the distance record previously held by Apollo 13 and tested critical systems for future lunar landings.

While the splashdown was celebrated as a milestone for deep space exploration, the agency faces potential budget challenges under the current administration.

The successful return paves the way for the Artemis III mission, which aims to land humans on the lunar surface in the coming years.