Artemis II astronauts return home

The mission marks a critical milestone in America's return to the moon, serving as an opening act for future lunar base construction.

Recovery crews celebrated as the Orion capsule's hatch was opened following a successful splashdown in the Pacific.

The astronauts are scheduled to undergo extensive medical evaluations this week to study the effects of deep-space travel on the human body.

NASA officials emphasized that the data gathered during Artemis II will be vital for planning the upcoming Artemis III mission, which aims to land humans on the lunar surface.