# The Artemis II mission concluded Friday with a historic splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California.

*aerospace · news · 2026-04-12 · The Nation*

## Key points

- Artemis II crew traveled farther from Earth than any humans in history, surpassing Apollo 13.
- The Orion spacecraft reached a record 252,756 miles from Earth during its mission.
- Astronauts observed the moon’s far side and witnessed a solar eclipse only visible from space.
- Orion's closest approach to the lunar surface was about 4,067 miles before returning to Earth.
- President Trump confirmed plans for future Artemis missions and mentioned Mars as the next goal.

**Companies:** NASA
**Countries:** United States

[Read the full story on The Nation](https://www.nation.com.pk/12-Apr-2026/artemis-ii-mission-concludes-splashdown-pacific-ocean)

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