Artemis II has completed its 10-day mission to the Moon and has splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.

“Artemis II isn’t just a lap around the Moon,” commander Reid Wiseman said. “It’s validating survival. This mission isn’t about landing. It’s about confidence.”

The mission was successful and accomplished key milestones such as testing the Orion spacecraft’s systems. 

“We evaluated Orion’s life-support, propulsion, power, thermal, and navigation systems,” astronaut Jeremey Hansen, the first Canadian to ever travel to the moon, said.

The crew notes that they experienced minor technical issues, including a malfunction with the spacecraft’s toilet, which forced them to use a manual urinal system.

“I’m proud to call myself the space plumber,” mission specialist Christina Koch said. “We were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be just fine. We did originally think that there could have been potentially something fouling up the motor. The toilet is probably the most important piece of equipment on board”.

Despite the slight setbacks, the crew still managed to effectively test docking maneuvers, conduct a space CPR demonstration, and analyze the lunar surface.

“Going right to the moon is not a pathway to success,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said.

Using data collected from the mission, the Crew Module will now undergo extensive analysis at Kennedy Space Center to prepare for the 2028 Artemis III lunar landing.

“This [was] an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve got to get through this together,” astronaut Victor Glover said.