The crew of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission has returned safely to Earth after a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo program era.

Astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch were seen smiling and celebrating after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean and being recovered by Navy teams.

The Orion (spacecraft) capsule endured extreme reentry conditions before safely landing, followed by a multi-step extraction process involving boats and helicopters.

The mission was praised for its scientific, technical, and historical significance, as well as the strong bond among the crew, Space.com has reported.

NASA now plans to move forward with Artemis 3 mission as part of its broader return-to-the-Moon program.