USS John P. Murtha
US Navy ship LPD-26; Artemis II recovery vessel, positioned for 10 April Pacific splashdown.
Last refreshed: 7 April 2026
Which ship is picking up the Artemis II crew after splashdown?
Latest on USS John P. Murtha
- What ship is recovering the Artemis II crew?
- USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26), a San Antonio-class Navy ship homeported at Naval Base San Diego, is the Artemis II recovery vessel.Source: NASA
- When does the Artemis II crew return to Earth?
- Splashdown is scheduled for 10 April 2026 at 8:07 PM EDT in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego.Source: NASA
Background
USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship homeported at Naval Base San Diego. It is the designated recovery vessel for Artemis II's splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, scheduled for 10 April 2026 at 8:07 PM EDT. The ship sailed to its recovery station after the return trajectory was established following the Day 6 lunar flyby. A post-recovery press conference is scheduled for 10:35 PM EDT.
San Antonio-class ships carry a well deck and aviation facilities suited to recovery operations. LPD-26 carries a crew-retrieval team from NASA's Underway Recovery Test programme, including divers trained to reach the Orion capsule in open water, attach flotation equipment, and transfer crew to the ship. The class was also used for Artemis I's unmanned capsule recovery in December 2022.
The use of a Navy amphibious ship rather than a dedicated recovery vessel continues NASA's post-Apollo pattern. Murtha previously supported test recoveries during the Exploration Ground Systems programme. The ship's homeport at San Diego aligns with the Pacific splashdown zone chosen for its distance from commercial shipping lanes and proximity to US recovery infrastructure.