ICYMI:
President Trump Congratulates
Artemis II Crew on Making History
The
White House | April 7 2026
Last night, President Donald J. Trump spoke via
satellite with the crew of NASA’s historic Artemis II mission, becoming the
first President to engage in interplanetary communication with astronauts
beyond low-Earth orbit in over five decades. Artemis II marks
humanity’s return to the lunar vicinity for the first time since Apollo 17 in
1972, taking astronauts farther from Earth than ever before — reaching nearly
253,000 miles — as they conduct critical observations of the Moon’s far side
and pave the way for future missions.
President Trump praised the crew for their groundbreaking
journey.
- “Today,
you’ve made history and made all of America really proud… There’s nothing
like what you’re doing, circling around the Moon for the first time in
more than half a century and breaking the all-time record for the farthest
distance from planet Earth… You really are modern-day pioneers.” (Watch)
President Trump asked the crew about their experiences
during the historic flight.
- Commander
Reid Wiseman on the most unforgettable sights: “We
saw sights… that no human has ever seen before — not even in Apollo.” (Watch)
- Pilot
Victor Glover on the communication blackout while observing the Moon’s far
side: “I said a little prayer, but then I had to keep
rolling. I was actually recording scientific observations of the far side
of the Moon. That is actually the time when we were the farthest from
Earth and the closest to the Moon and so we were really able to make some
of our most detailed observations of the far side of the Moon up close, so
we were busy up here working really hard — and I must say, it was actually
quite nice.” (Watch)
- Mission
Specialist Jeremy Hansen on differences between the Moon’s near and far
sides: “The gravitational pull of the Earth
has had a profound effect on the near side of the Moon, changing all those
dark mares — those dark patches of the Moon you see from Earth — it’s very
different on the far side.” (Watch)
- Mission
Specialist Christina Koch on glimpsing Earth again after the blackout: “One
of the biggest highlights was coming back from the far side of the Moon
and having the first glimpses of planet Earth again after being out of
communication for about 45 minutes. It really just reminds you what a
special place we have and how important it is for our nation to… lead and
not follow in exploring deep space.” (Watch)
President Trump recognized Canadian astronaut Jeremy
Hansen, highlighting the international pride surrounding the mission.
- “Well,
I have to say, I spoke to a very special person, Wayne Gretzky, who I
think you know — the Great One — and I spoke to your Prime Minister and
many other friends I have in Canada. They are so proud of you, and you
have a lot of courage.” (Watch)
President Trump invited the Artemis II crew to the Oval
Office.
- “I
look forward to having you in the Oval Office at the White House and we
will celebrate your incredible achievements and triumphs. This is really
big stuff; the whole world is talking about it and if you have the time, I
will certainly find the time. I’ve been pretty busy also, as you know, but
I will absolutely find the time and we’ll get together — and I’m going to
be giving you a big salute on behalf of the American people and beyond.” (Watch)
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Apr 10, 2026
NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard was seen as it splashed down at 5:07 p.m. PDT in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth.
The four astronauts aboard the agency’s Artemis II test flight around the Moon made history at 1:56 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 6, 2026, when they reached 248,655 miles from Earth—surpassing the farthest distance ever traveled by humans, a record previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The crew members are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 p.m. on Friday, April 10.
NASA’s Artemis II Crew Comes Home (Official Broadcast).
The Artemis II astronauts are more than halfway through their mission. The crew is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT) on Friday, April 10.
Following splashdown, recovery teams will retrieve the crew members using helicopters and deliver them to the USS John P. Murtha. Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-flight medical evaluations in the ship’s medical bay before traveling back to shore to meet with an aircraft bound for NASA Johnson.
Four astronauts — three from NASA and one from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) — make up the Artemis II crew:
• NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander
• NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot
• NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist
• Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist
After launching into space atop SLS, the crew will journey around the Moon and back in their Orion spacecraft on an approximately 10-day mission. Artemis II will be the first crewed flight test of SLS and Orion, testing the technologies we'll need for long-term lunar exploration and human missions to Mars.
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