After 10 days in orbit, the four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft have returned to Earth, their mission around the Moon a success. The integrity of the crew's ‘perfect’ landing was confirmed off the coast of San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. Pacific Time.

The crew, composed of Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, spent just over nine days in space, setting a new record for human travel from Earth – an impressive 252,760 miles away. They orbited the Moon, took unprecedented photos, even witnessed a total solar eclipse.

“America is back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon and bringing them home safely,” declared Jared Isaacman, NASA’s administrator, from his X account. “This was a test mission, pushing farther into space than ever before.” The Artemis II mission represents more than just a return to lunar orbit; it signals a significant step towards building a Moon base.

“These were the ambassadors to the stars that we sent out there,” Isaacman added. “I can’t imagine a better crew. It was a perfect mission.”