Artemis II Crew Returns with a New Record—and a Lifetime Supply of Uncrustables
The four-person crew set a new record for the farthest distance traveled by humans from Earth: 252,756 miles.
NASA’s Artemis II mission has concluded with a spectacular splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The 10-day journey aboard the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity by the crew, set a new milestone for human spaceflight—and ended with a very down-to-earth request: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Mission Overview
The crew consisted of Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Their mission was a 10-day voyage around the far side of the Moon, culminating in a splashdown scheduled for April 10 at approximately 8:07 PM.
Record-Breaking Flight
During the mission, the Orion spacecraft traveled 252,756 miles from Earth. This exceeds the previous record of 248,655 miles set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. The crew traveled around the far side of the Moon, pushing the boundaries of human exploration.
Post-Mission Meal: A Sandwich in the Spotlight
Following splashdown, the crew made a simple but memorable request: Uncrustables peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
The Smucker's company, which produces Uncrustables, stated in an Instagram post that it would provide the crew with a lifetime supply of the sandwiches. The post included an image of an Uncrustable sandwich hovering over Earth.
The U.S. Navy confirmed that the recovery vessel would have an "abundant amount" of the sandwiches available.
Commander Reid Wiseman added a sweet detail: after splashdown, astronaut Christina Koch produced peanut M&Ms from her spacesuit pocket and shared them with the crew.
Mission Provisions: A Carefully Curated Menu
NASA developed a menu of 189 unique food items for the Artemis II mission. Items included:
- Barbecued beef brisket
- Broccoli au gratin
- Vegetable quiche
- Five types of hot sauce
- 58 tortillas
- Cashews and almonds
- Mango salad
- Butternut squash
- More than 10 types of beverages
Bread was not included in the menu because crumbs can potentially damage precision instruments.
A Nutella Moment
One item available during the mission was Nutella. A jar of Nutella was seen floating behind astronaut Christina Koch in a video approximately four minutes before the crew passed the Apollo 13 distance record.
NASA confirmed that the Nutella appearance was not product placement.
The Ferrero Group, owner of Nutella, acknowledged the event on social media.
Shared Meals in Space
Wiseman noted that a communication link with the International Space Station was a favorite day because both crews were eating the same food. The crew reported enjoying food options such as spicy green beans, broccoli au gratin, and fajitas.
Key Takeaway: The Artemis II mission not only set a new distance record but also highlighted how small comforts—like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich—can make a monumental journey feel a little more like home.