Artemis II Crew Returns to Earth, Sets New Distance Record
The four-person crew of NASA's Artemis II mission is scheduled to return to Earth, concluding a 10-day journey that set a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from our planet. Upon splashdown, the astronauts will receive a supply of Uncrustables peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with the product's manufacturer stating it will provide a lifetime supply.
Mission Overview and Record
The Artemis II mission launched aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft, which the crew named "Integrity." The mission duration was approximately 10 days, with splashdown targeted for April 10.
During the flight, the spacecraft reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth. This surpassed the previous record of 248,655 miles, set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.
Crew and Post-Mission Request
The crew consists of Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Sources report the crew requested Uncrustables sandwiches for their post-mission recovery meal.
The J.M. Smucker Company, which produces Uncrustables, confirmed via an Instagram post that it would provide the crew with a lifetime supply of the product. The post stated, "Artemis, you rang? We've got the crew covered on the OG uncrusted sandwiches from here on out … no joke."
The U.S. Navy, which is managing recovery operations, stated the recovery vessel would have an "abundant amount" of the sandwiches available for the crew at splashdown.
Onboard Provisions
NASA provisioned the mission with a menu of 189 unique food items. Reported items included:
- Barbecued beef brisket
- Broccoli au gratin
- Vegetable quiche
- Five varieties of hot sauce
- 58 tortillas
- Cashews and almonds
- Mango salad and butternut squash
- More than 10 types of beverages
- Nutella
Bread was not included in the menu. NASA does not use bread on space missions due to concerns that crumbs could float and damage sensitive instruments. Tortillas are used as an alternative.