Artemis II crew describes Moon mission and splashdown moment

The crew held its first press conference since splashing down from their historic 10-day trip. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are seen. Artemis II crew describes Moon mission and splashdown moment The Artemis crew held their first press conference after completing a historic 10-day mission around the Moon. Nasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, shared details of their experience with reporters. On 1 April, the crew blasted off Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and travelled beyond the far side of the Moon. The goal of the Artemis missions is to eventually return humans to the lunar surface, to establish a permanent presence there, and to send the first astronauts to Mars Newly released video shows the moment the hatch of Artemis II's Orion capsule is unlocked to a joyful reunion with the four astronauts. The four astronauts flew around the Moon in a nine-day voyage that took them further from Earth than any humans in history. The four crew members of the Artemis II are back on Earth after their 10-day mission to the Moon. The Artemis crew will return to Earth on 10 April after a 10-day mission that took them around the Moon. The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to bring the Artemis II crew back to Earth on 10 April. The Orion spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego on 10 April. Jeremy Hansen received a call from the prime minister as Canada's first astronaut to travel into deep space as part of the Artemis II mission. The interactive replica of the spacecraft is to be displayed in shopping centres in the future. The BBC’s Science Editor Rebecca Morelle has spoken to the Artemis II crew ahead of their likely splashdown on Saturday. The four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft set a new record for distance travelled from Earth. Once contact was regained, astronaut Christina Koch said: "It is so great to hear from Earth again." The crew broke a previous record of 248,655 miles (400,171km) set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970, and they are still heading further away from Earth. Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman's wife died from cancer in 2020 at age 46. Astronauts on the Artemis II mission are on the third day of their journey around the far side of the Moon. The crew will not land on the Moon on this current mission, though Nasa is preparing for a potential lunar landing by 2028. The crew on board the Artemis II spoke by video link, sharing messages for their families and experiences of the trip so far. The US is aiming to be the first country to land humans on the lunar surface again by 2028 - so what's this mission for? Nasa astronauts conducted a number of different tests on board the Orion spacecraft - including practising manoeuvring the capsule. People on a commercial flight were treated to a rare view of the launch of Nasa's first crewed mission to the Moon in half a century. Science editor Rebecca Morelle watched from just three miles away as the most powerful rocket ever built blasted off from Florida. Popular in local bars across the US, the games are facing higher meat prices, squeezing some of the charities that benefit from them. The BBC rode along with the Rangers on the last leg of a historic trek as they assert their presence in Canada's far north. CCTV footage shows a high school principal charging towards a former student who was armed in Oklahoma. The Canadian prime minister joined the Ottawa Charge team on the rink alongside the Finnish president during his first formal bilateral visit. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that oil and gas prices "could be the same or maybe a little bit higher" in the coming months. Hours after posting a lengthy message critiquing the pontiff, the US president shared a Jesus-like image of himself that he has since deleted. BBC's Sarah Smith looks at how the president's most ardent supporters are reacting to his latest social media posts. Trump attacked the first American leader of the Roman Catholic Church after he condemned the US president's threat against Iran. The implosion of the former Mandarin Oriental will make way for an even larger building on the property. The first lady denied connections to the late convicted sex offender, telling reporters any claims linking the two "need to end". No injuries were reported after the blaze tore through a massive warehouse where toilet paper and paper towels were stored. One of the world's most active volcanoes has been erupting on and off since December 2024. Watch the first lady's full statement from the White House as she addresses her links to the late sex offender. Jasveen Sangha was sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling drugs that led to the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry. Rex Heuermann has pled guilty in the murder of eight women killed between 1993 and 2010 on Long Island. Police were called when a homeowner found a nine-foot alligator in the pool area of his Tampa residence. A specialist later removed the animal. At the annual 'Great Marshmallow Drop', more than 15,000 fluffy treats fell from a helicopter as kids raced to collect them. The former prosecutor has a long-standing relationship with President Trump, having represented him in the criminal hush-money case. After delays and technical issues, the first crewed Moon mission in 50 years finally took off from Florida and is now in Earth's orbit. The BBC’s Ione Wells spoke with protesters and attendees outside the Supreme Court hearing on President Donald Trump’s executive order.