California, Apr 11 (V7N) – Four astronauts from the Artemis II mission have safely returned to Earth following a historic journey around the Moon.

The Orion spacecraft made a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 6:07 am Bangladesh time on Saturday.

Mission commander Reid Wiseman confirmed after landing that all crew members are in good health.

During the 10-day mission, the astronauts orbited the Moon and traveled to its far side, reaching a distance of approximately 252,757 miles from Earth. This marks a new milestone, surpassing the record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

The Artemis II mission is a major step toward future lunar exploration, with long-term plans focused on establishing a human base near the Moon’s south pole.

END/SMA/AJ