NASA’s historic Artemis I mission has successfully come to an end as the Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja, California, on Sunday (December 11) morning.
“Splashdown! From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close: Orion back on Earth,” NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said.
The Artemis 1 mission was a test of the state-of-the-art Orion capsule and NASA’s Space Launch System, which is the largest rocket in history.
During its 26-day mission to circle the moon, the uncrewed Orion capsule beamed back stunning images of the lunar surface.
“This is an extraordinary day,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “It’s historic because we are now going back into space, into deep space, with a new generation.”
“A new day has dawned, and Artemis generation is taking us there,” Nelson added.
