NASA's Orion spacecraft is seen as recovery teams work to secure the spacecraft following splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. (Photo:PTI)

Washington, Apr 11: In a moment filled with applause and excitement, the four astronauts from NASA's Artemis-II mission successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, marking humanity's first lunar flight in over five decades.

Amit Kshatriya, an Indian-origin NASA Associate Administrator, expressed at a press conference shortly after the crew's return near San Diego at 8:07 Eastern Time, "The path to the moon is open, but the challenges ahead are greater than those we've overcome."

This lunar flyby mission, featuring Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen, was the first human journey to the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972, when astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt explored the lunar surface for three days.

Flight director Rick Henfling reported that the Artemis II astronauts are "happy and healthy and ready to return to Houston."

Artemis II was the inaugural crewed mission to utilize NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew module, showcasing the agency's capability to send astronauts beyond Earth's orbit and safely bring them back.

Artemis II astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch (right) pose after splashdown. (Photo:PTI)

The mission covered a distance of 700,237 miles, reached a peak speed of 24,664 mph, and had an entry range of 1,957 miles, landing just one mile from its intended target, according to Henfling.

NASA's future plans include landing humans on the moon, where they intend to establish a habitat that will serve as a launchpad for upcoming missions to Mars and beyond.

The crew's triumphant return followed a record-breaking lunar flyby that unveiled parts of the moon's far side never seen by humans, as well as a total solar eclipse.

One by one, the astronauts emerged from their bobbing capsule into the sunlight. Henfling noted that his team felt a sense of relief when the side hatch of the Orion Integrity opened after its Pacific Ocean splashdown.

"We all breathed a sigh of relief once the hatch opened up, that's when we brought the team in," he remarked.

Henfling admitted that there was "anxiety" as the astronauts re-entered Earth's atmosphere, but he felt confident in their extensive training leading up to this historic lunar mission.

NASA has indicated that the Artemis III mission is "right around the corner" following this groundbreaking journey around the moon. "The next mission is imminent, and we will apply the lessons learned from Artemis II," Henfling stated.

"We gained valuable insights on how to operate with crew in space, both in terms of vehicle operations and managing a control room for a deep space mission. When the time comes, we will resume specific training, and we have a core group of about 30 flight directors, all highly capable. I believe anyone assigned to the next mission will achieve similar success," Henfling added.

Kshatriya, who is the highest-ranking civil servant and a senior advisor to NASA's administrator, oversees NASA's ten center directors and the mission directorate associate administrators. He previously held the position of deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars Program in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.