Members of the U.S. Navy were the first people to greet NASA’s Artemis II crew after the astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about 50 miles off San Diego’s coast last Friday following their historic 10-day journey around the moon.
Over the past several days, the Navy released photos that were taken of the astronauts as they boarded USS John P. Murtha, bathed in the golden light of the sun setting across San Diego, along with photos of the USS John P. Murtha as it rolled back into the Port of San Diego, and U.S. Navy Sailors who first met with the astronauts and conducted medical checks on them.
The photos are below:
U.S. Navy divers prepare to launch off the well deck ramp of amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) before recovering the Orion space craft on April 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and space craft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronauts Victor Glover, left, and Christina Koch sit in an U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Victor Glover points at crew members on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Christina Koch sits in an U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Victor Glover celebrates on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman talks to NASA personnel on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, left, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen pose for a photo in an U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Christina Koch, center left, walks across the flight deck aboard amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) following extraction from the Orion crew module in the Pacific Ocean, April 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman walks with NASA personnel on the flight deck of the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after returning from space on Apr. 10, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class August Clawson).
Capt. Brian Bungay, commanding officer, Naval Base San Diego, right, observes the Orion crew module in the welldeck of the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) after supporting NASA’s Artemis II recovery, Apr. 11, 2026. USS John P. Murtha supported NASA’s Artemis II mission in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon Roberson)
Vice Adm. John Wade, commander, U.S. Third Fleet, receives an appreciation plaque aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) commemorating the Artemis II lunar mission on April 11, 2026. John P. Murtha was underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and space craft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space craft, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon Roberson)
The amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) returns to San Diego after supporting NASA’s Artemis II recovery, Apr. 11, 2026. USS John P. Murtha supported NASA’s Artemis II mission in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lordin Kelly)
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