San diego: The Artemis II mission concluded Friday with a splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California, marking a significant journey for humankind. The Orion crew module entered Pacific waters at 8.07 ET (0007GMT) after a descent through the Earth’s atmosphere, enduring temperatures that exceeded 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,649 Celsius).

According to Anadolu Agency, all four crew members-Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen-arrived safely after the vessel slowed from speeds of about 33 times the speed of sound, hitting the Pacific at 19 mph (30 kph). The crew traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history, completing a lunar flyby and sling-shotting around the moon to initiate the return trip to Earth.

The Orion spacecraft reached a maximum distance of about 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) from Earth, surpassing the record set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970. During the mission, the astronauts observed the moon’s far side and witnessed a solar eclipse visible only from space. The spacecraft made its closest approach to the moon at about 4,067 miles above the surface before beginning its return trajectory, as reported by NASA.

US President Donald Trump expressed his congratulations to the crew of Artemis II on his social media platform, Truth Social. He praised the mission’s success and mentioned his eagerness to welcome the crew at the White House. Trump also hinted at future missions, stating, “We’ll be doing it again and then, next step, Mars!”