The best photos from NASA's first moon mission in more than 50 years

NBC News; NASASpaceThe best photos from NASA's first moon mission in more than 50 yearsThe Artemis II astronauts concluded their record-breaking 10-day journey on Friday with a smooth splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 11, 2026, 6:30 AM EDTBy Denise ChowNASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon in more than 50 years, has been a feast for the eyes.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen concluded their 10-day mission Friday evening with a splash-down landing in the Pacific Ocean.The crew launched April 1 on the 10-day journey, which took them around the far side of the moon. They traveled farther from Earth than any humans had before, breaking the distance record set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970.NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.John Kraus / NASATheir photos from the lunar flyby on Monday — when they saw parts of the moon that no humans had ever viewed with their own eyes — have captivated public attention. NASA plans to release many more images from the mission now that the crew can hand over their data, rather than beaming it back from space. But for now, here are some of the best photos from Artemis II.From left to right: Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of CSA, pilot Victor Glover, commander Reid Wiseman and mission specialist Christina Koch walk out ahead of the launch on April 1.Chip Somodevilla / Getty ImagesThe mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Artemis II crew were the first people that NASA’s Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket had ever carried into space.Artemis II was one of the most highly anticipated space events in re...