Artemis Two's Moon Mission: A New Era Begins

0:00Artemis, two astronauts, just splash down safe in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, wrapping up humanity's first crude moon trip in over 50 years. Commander Reed Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen flew their Orion capsule, named Integrity, back at Mach 33, 33 times the speed of sound. It was automatic reentry, hitting peak heat with a plasma glow and radio blackout, but the heat shield held strong off San Diego. Launched April 1st, from Florida, the crew nailed a 10-day flyby without orbiting or landing. They shattered Apollo 13's distance record, pushing 252,756 miles from Earth, the farthest humans, ever. Up close, they snapped first-ever human eye views of the moon's far side, and caught a total solar eclipse that left them speechless. The mission sparked worldwide hype, with shout outs from leaders like President Trump, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, Britain's King Charles III, and celebs including Ryan

1:04Gosling, Scarlett Johansson, and William Shatner. Back home, mission control breathed easy after 10 minutes, echoing Apollo 17's recovery in 1972. The crew's earth set, shots over the moon grey, echoed Apollo 8's iconic Earthrise. They faced glitches like wonky vows and water and fuel systems, plus a faulty toilet, but brushed it off as space-testing realities. Co-called it, worth the risks, Hansen said, real proof comes an orbit. This pays way for Artemis III next year, docking practice, and Artemis IV's South Pole landing in 2028. Crews stayed humble, naming craters for their ship, and Wiseman's late wife, urging the world to pause, cherish our blue planet, and gear up for deeper. Corner steps ahead. That wraps Tampa Bay News today, brought to you with AI. I'm Cory with The Story.