The crew of the first mission to fly around the Moon since the Apollo era told reporters today they are still absorbing the experience and what it means to them personally, but they’re confident a lunar landing is doable soon. Gratified about the impact the flight has had especially on young people, the crew shared some advice on how they can make their own impact on the world.
Gen. Chance Saltzman released two new documents today that outline what he sees as the evolution of the nation’s youngest military service over the next 15 years.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy issued the National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power today. Attempts to develop space nuclear power and propulsion date back to the 1960s and the Trump Administration is trying once more to invigorate those efforts as part of the Moon-to-Mars goals and for national security uses.
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of April 12-18, 2026 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session this week.
The four astronauts who flew around the Moon and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean yesterday are now back in Houston. The USS John P. Murtha recovery ship returned to Naval Base San Diego today and the crew flew home to the happy arms of family, friends and colleagues after an historic trip. In emotional remarks, they thanked everyone and shared their initial reactions to all they experienced while conceding it’s too soon to absorb it all.
NASA is cheering the return of the Artemis II crew tonight after a 9-day mission around the Moon. Administrator Jared Isaacman aboard the recovery ship USS John P. Murtha declared “Mission Accomplished” as congratulations poured in from everywhere.
The Artemis II crew is back on Earth after the first trip around the Moon since 1972. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen splashed down off the coast of California at 8:07:27 pm EDT.
The crew of Artemis II is busy configuring the Orion capsule for reentry tomorrow, with splashdown off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 pm ET. NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya said today Orion will be traveling at almost 25,000 miles per hour with a heat shield built from materials designed to withstand temperatures approaching the surface of the Sun. He has “high confidence” the systems will land them safely in the Pacific Ocean, but concedes he’ll be anxious.
The Artemis II crew continued a variety of tests of the Orion capsule today as they began preparations for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean in less than two days. They are now about 181,000 miles (291,291 kilometers) from Earth and getting closer every minute.
The Artemis II crew is on their way back to Earth after swinging around the Moon yesterday. Stunning images of both the Moon and the Earth have been downlinked already with more to come, exciting scientists and stirring the spirit. With the exception of the still troublesome toilet, the Orion capsule and its European Service Module are performing very well, though NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says he won’t relax until the crew splashes down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.