Excitement swept through NASA on Friday night as four astronauts completed a groundbreaking mission around the Moon and made a safe return to Earth, marking the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.
The spacecraft, carrying three Americans and one Canadian, landed smoothly in the Pacific Ocean near California, wrapping up a high-profile test flight that also captured breathtaking views of the Moon.
Mission commander Reid Wiseman shared the team’s condition shortly after landing, saying he and his crewmates — Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen — were all doing well.
“What a journey,” he said, adding that the crew was “stable” and “green,” indicating they were in excellent health.
NASA spokesperson Rob Navias echoed the update during a live broadcast, explaining that the astronauts were “in great condition.”
There was a brief moment of tension during the expected communications blackout as the capsule re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, but relief followed when contact was re-established. “We have you loud and clear,” Wiseman confirmed after reconnecting with mission control in Houston.
Recovery crews from NASA, supported by the US military, quickly reached the capsule and assisted the astronauts out, drawing applause from those monitoring the operation.
The crew members were later flown by helicopter to a recovery vessel off the Pacific coast near San Diego, where they were able to walk without assistance.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman described the mission as flawless.
“We’re back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon,” he said. “This is just the beginning.”
