Ten days. Two hundred thousand miles from home. And a dark side of the moon that no human had ever seen quite so close.
When the Artemis II crew finally splashed down and stepped back onto solid ground, the world exhaled. And then came the part that felt truly familiar to all of us, going home to the people and animals who were waiting.
Here is what each of the four astronauts found when they walked through that door.
Christina Koch and the Dog Who Said It All
NASA astronaut and electrical engineer Christina Koch doesn’t have children at home. But anyone who has ever loved a dog knows that doesn’t mean she came home to an empty welcome.
Her dog, Sadie, had other ideas about a quiet reunion. A video that went viral on Instagram showed Sadie scratching at the door and barking before Koch even made it inside. The moment Koch crossed the threshold, Sadie rushed to grab a toy and carried it straight to her.
Koch dropped to her knees for a full fur-baby hug. Another clip showed the two of them chasing each other through the waves on a sandy beach not long after.
Koch shared her feelings in a caption that will resonate with any pet owner: “I’m still pretty sure I was the happier side of this reunion. Sadie taught me everything I needed to know about being an emotional support animal. Didn’t expect that would come in handy.”
Commander Reid Wiseman and His Daughters
Commander Reid Wiseman kept it simple on Instagram. He posted a selfie with his two daughters, Ellie and Katy, and wrote just two words: “Mission complete.”
Fans flooded the comments with warmth. Former Today host Katie Couric wrote, “I’m so inspired by your story, your girls, and the way you’ve honored your wonderful wife. Thank you for being a model of compassion and integrity when both are so sorely needed.”
Another commenter summed it up in four words: “Our favorite girl dad.”
At the crew’s first public appearance after landing, Wiseman spoke from the heart. “No one knows what the families went through, man. This was not easy. Being 200,000-plus miles away from home, and when you’re out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends.”
Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen Thank the People Who Waited
Fellow crew member Victor Glover added his own tribute at the welcome home event. He thanked all the families in the room, giving a special nod to his wife, Dionna, and their four daughters. “I wanted to thank our families for everything he just said. I love you, but not just those five beautiful cocoa-skinned ladies right there. All of you.”
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen kept his words equally warm. “I’ll start with gratitude for my family,” he said. Hansen’s wife, Catherine, and their three children (Devon, Ashley, and Katelyn) were there to welcome him home.
Four astronauts. One historic mission. And at the end of it all, the same thing most of us come home to every day, the faces that make it all worth it.