New footage shows moment Orion capsule hatch is opened at sea

New footage captures the instant Orion capsule hatch is opened at sea

A recently unveiled video reveals the moment a recovery team unlatched the hatch of Artemis II’s Orion capsule, marking a joyous reunion with its four crew members. The astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—were confirmed safe and in good health following splashdown on Friday, 10 April. This mission set a new record by taking humans farther from Earth than ever before.

Wildlife and landmarks make headlines in global events

During the same period, BBC science correspondent Pallab Ghosh highlighted the challenges of treating illness in space. Meanwhile, Steve Backshall documented an extraordinary encounter with two of the UK’s last surviving orcas, calling it one of his “greatest British wildlife moments.” On Saturday night, iconic landmarks like France’s Eiffel Tower and Barcelona’s Sagrada Família Basilica dimmed for an hour.

Spacecraft journey and weather disruptions

The 98-meter-tall Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft undertook a four-mile trip from their assembly building to Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the Canary Islands, Tenerife faced snowfall as Storm Therese caused severe weather. The Met Office issued yellow warnings for wind and rain, while Storm Floris was predicted to bring unseasonably strong gusts to the UK.

Scientific discoveries and urban nature

Researchers analyzing planet K2-18b’s atmosphere found molecular traces typically linked to simple Earth organisms. A separate study of ice sheet samples provided an environmental record spanning over a million years. Baroness Kathy Willis emphasized the role of green and blue spaces in urban areas, while London Zoo hosted its annual animal weigh-in, assessing over 10,000 creatures.

“This was one of my greatest British wildlife moments,” said Steve Backshall about the orca sighting.