There’s a moment in every great space mission where the tension finally breaks. For Artemis II, that moment came not in space, but on the open ocean.
Newly released footage captures the exact second recovery crews unlatched the hatch of the Orion capsule after its splashdown on April 10. For a brief pause, the world held its breath. Then the hatch opened—and cheers erupted.
Inside were four astronauts who had just traveled farther from Earth than any humans before them: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Smiling, waving, and visibly relieved, they were greeted by the recovery team in what quickly became one of the most human moments of the mission.
It’s easy to get lost in the scale of space travel—the distances, the technology, the sheer ambition. But this clip brings it all back down to Earth. Four people. One capsule. And the unmistakable sound of joy when they made it home safe.
For Long Islanders and space fans alike, it’s a reminder of something simple but powerful: no matter how far we go, the best part might always be coming back.
Watch the video:
Orion hatch opening after splashdown
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Photo: NASA’s Orion spacecraft is seen as recovery teams work to secure the spacecraft ahead of transferring Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist to USS John P. Murtha in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PDT(8:07 p.m. EDT), NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha.
