Artemis II splashdown: Astronauts home safely after journey around Moon

Four astronauts splashed down in the Pacific after a nine-day voyage that took them further from Earth than any humans.

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The crew are now safely aboard a waiting ship and recovering from a nine-day voyage that took them further from Earth than any humans in history.

Their Orion spacecraft was travelling at more than 24,000mph (38,600km/h) when it hit the Earth's upper atmosphere and its heatshield was subjected to temperatures half as hot as found on the surface of the Sun.

Their safe return clears the way for the next stage of the Artemis programme, which aims to land humans on the lunar surface and eventually build a permanent base on the Moon.

Watch key moments from the Artemis II mission's re-entry: Separation, blackout, then splashdownThe extreme heat meant the capsule, which the astronauts named Integrity, lost contact with mission control in Houston for six minutes during the descent.