On Saturday night, the Orion space capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, carrying the astronauts of the Artemis II expedition that has taken humans further into space than ever before.
Barely a day later, the four astronauts now describe the journey as both challenging and bonding - but also say it has provided new perspectives.
"What impressed me was not necessarily just the Earth, but all the black emptiness around it. The Earth is just a lifeboat floating peacefully in the universe," says Christina Koch.
During the trip around the Moon, the crew saw, among other things, a solar eclipse and a meteorite impact.
"Before you take off, it feels like the biggest dream on Earth. And once you're out there, you just want to get back to your families and friends. It's something very special to be human, and it's something very special to be on Earth," says astronaut Reid Wiseman.
During the journey, which lasted just over nine days, the crew traveled farther from Earth than ever before, reaching approximately 406,800 kilometers and breaking the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth.
Artemis II was the first manned mission in NASA's program to establish a permanent presence on the Moon. Plans include the future construction of a lunar base that could be used for further space exploration.
NASA hopes to send humans to the lunar surface as early as 2028.
