NASA Artemis Moonshot

This photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows the Orion spacecraft's heat shield underwater after Artemis II splashed down Friday, April 10, 2026. (U.S. Navy via AP

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NASA's Artemis II moonship returns home to its launch site after historic voyage

NASA's Artemis II moonship returns home to its launch site after historic voyage

The spacecraft that flew four astronauts around the moon is back where its record-breaking journey began. NASA's Artemis II capsule returned to Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday afternoon, almost a month after blasting off on humanity's first lunar trip in more than a half-century. Following its splashdown in the Pacific on April 10, the capsule was trucked from San Diego to Cape Canaveral, Florida. Engineers will examine the capsule, including its heat shield in more detail. The capsule dubbed Integrity by its U.S.-Canadian crew carried astronauts deeper into space than humans have ever gone before.