USS John P. Murtha returns to San Diego following Artemis II recovery mission support

Amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) transits the San Diego harbor to Naval Base San Diego, April 11, 2026. John P. Murtha is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations supporting NASA’s Artemis II mission, retrieving the crew and spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time humans journeyed to deep space in over 50 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles J. Scudella III)