Artemis II astronauts return to Earth, inspiring San Diego families
CHOSE, BUT KCRA 3’S PEYTON HEADLEE IS IN SAN DIEGO. MISSIONS LIKE THIS ONE. FUEL MOMENTS LIKE THIS. REALLY EXCITED HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FILLED SAN DIEGO’S AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM FRIDAY, WATCHING THE LAST LEG OF THE ARTEMIS TWO MISSION. THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE LOOKING AT SAN DIEGO WHEN THE ORION CAPSULE SPLASHES DOWN OFF OUR COAST. EVERYONE SAT WITH BATED BREATH AWAITING THAT SPLASHDOWN AND THE SAFE RETURN OF THE FOUR ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD. THE LATEST CHAPTER IN OUR LONG SPACE SAGA. I’M SO EXCITED TO SEE THE ASTRONAUTS GO TO THE OCEAN AND GET AND GO TO, LIKE, THE MILITARY SHIP ONE IN OUR LIFETIME. ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE THIS CLOSE TO A LANDING? JULY 20TH, 1969. WE WATCHED THE FIRST MAN ON THE MOON. AND THEN TO SEE THIS NOW, SO MANY YEARS LATER, ABOUT EVERYTHING, IT’S SURREAL. THE IMPACT FELT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN A MOMENT OF PRIDE AND UNITY, YEARS IN THE MAKING. IT WAS AMAZING. IT WAS THE BEST BECAUSE I’VE NEVER SEEN A SPACE MODULE. IT WAS VERY EXCITING. IT’S LIKE HISTORY, KNOWING THEY GOT EVERYTHING DOWN PERFECT TO A T. I APPLAUD ALL THE MATHEMATICIANS, ALL THE PHYSICIANS, THE ASTROLOGISTS, EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED AS A SPECIES, AS A PEOPLE. THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE’RE CAPABLE OF. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT AND THINK TO OURSELVES, WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER BECAUSE IT’S MOMENTS LIKE THAT. WHICH CREATE MISSIONS LIKE THIS. AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? AN ASTRONAUT. I WANT TO BECOME THE FIRST PERSON TO GO TO MARS IN SAN DIEGO, PEYTON HEADLEE KCRA THREE NEWS. WELL, THE ASTRONAUTS HAD MEDICAL EVALUATIONS ON THE SHIP, AND WE ARE GUESSING THEY PICKED SLEEP TONIGHT. WE DON’T
Artemis II astronauts return to Earth, inspiring San Diego families
Updated: 11:09 PM PDT Apr 10, 2026
The Artemis II astronauts safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, marking the successful conclusion of their mission and inspiring onlookers in San Diego. NASA confirmed the astronauts underwent post-mission medical evaluations aboard the recovery ship and will fly to Houston on Saturday.In San Diego, hundreds of children and families filled the Air and Space Museum to watch the final moments of the mission unfold. Cheers erupted as the Orion capsule splashed down off the coast. See the excitement in the video above. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The Artemis II astronauts safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, marking the successful conclusion of their mission and inspiring onlookers in San Diego.
NASA confirmed the astronauts underwent post-mission medical evaluations aboard the recovery ship and will fly to Houston on Saturday.
In San Diego, hundreds of children and families filled the Air and Space Museum to watch the final moments of the mission unfold. Cheers erupted as the Orion capsule splashed down off the coast.
See the excitement in the video above.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel