Artemis Crew Survives "Fireball" Ride, Safely Returns to Earth

Four NASA astronauts have splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean. Their return marks the successful end of a critical test flight for America's new lunar program. The crew's capsule landed off the coast of California. Officials described the re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as a violent "ride through a fireball." This refers to the extreme heat and friction experienced as the spacecraft descended at high speed. The mission, named Artemis II, did not land on the Moon. Instead, it was a 10-day journey around the Moon and back. Its purpose was to rigorously test NASA's new Orion spacecraft and its life-support systems with a crew aboard. This safe return is a major milestone. It paves the way for Artemis III, the planned mission to return humans to the lunar surface. NASA has not landed astronauts on the Moon since 1972.