Tech
Watch the closeup moment they opened the Artemis II hatch after splashdown
When people watched NASA's Artemis II mission return to Earth, they saw helicopter views of little orange-clad figures exiting the spacecraft onto a raft.
But the U.S. space agency has since released a short closeup video of the Navy recovery team as it opened the hatch on Friday, April 10. The trained divers and medical officers entered the tiny 330 cubic-foot Orion capsule, greeted the four astronauts.
From video cameras mounted on the recovery team's helmets, shown in the X post below, it's as if you're right there with them. The team cheers and claps, with shouts of "let's go!" followed by "four green" (a callout that the crew was OK).
"Welcome home," the recovery team said to the Artemis II crew, Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, the first humans to fly around the moon since 1972.
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Up close, the spacecraft, dubbed Integrity by the crew, appeared battered and singed as it bobbed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California. The capsule had just plummeted through Earth's atmosphere, a fiery descent that put the crew through a 25,000 mph ride.
During that intense and dangerous phase, the astronauts experienced nearly 4Gs, a pressure pushing against them equal to four times their bodyweight. Without proper training, those conditions, coupled with adrenaline overload, could cause a person to blackout.
But as the recovery team soon discovered, not only was the returning crew healthy, they were in high spirits, smiling as they waited through the procedures to leave the spacecraft. At the end of the video, one of the recovery officials, referred to as "Vlad," said he had something for Wiseman. The clip ends before that "something" is revealed.
"Jesse, Steve, Laddy, and Vlad….such an incredible feeling to welcome you aboard Integrity after a nearly 700,000 mile journey," Wiseman said in a post on X. "Forever thankful for your service to our crew and the nation."
What is clear is that the people who welcomed Artemis II back to Earth seemed just as exhilarated as the astronauts themselves. Before climbing inside the crew's living quarters for the 10-day journey, the team almost forgot to place the seal cover over the bottom edge of the hatch in their haste to see their friends.
Artemis II, which launched April 1, marked NASA's triumphant return of human-led space exploration. It planned the voyage as the critical shakeout cruise for the spacecraft before the agency attempts to land on the moon. During the flight, the Artemis II crew put Orion through its paces, testing everything from propulsion and communications to how well humans can live, work, and make scientific observations far from home.
Credit: NASA / Bill Ingalls
Packed with cameras, sensors, and experiments, the mission turned the crew into both test pilots and test subjects, gathering data to shape future Artemis voyages. A successful journey vets the hardware and flight controllers for a moonwalk planned for 2028.
NASA isn't just motivated to get back to the moon for the moon's sake but to practice keeping humans alive in another world for extended periods. That's crucial before sending astronauts on a months-long spaceflight to Mars, perhaps possible in the late 2030s.
A new space race also sets the timeline for the Artemis campaign. The United States wants to land on the moon again before China, which is extremely close to achieving its first human moon landing.
If you thought the splashdown meant Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen could finally relax, you'd be wrong. Just hours after landing, NASA tested the crew's mettle again with an obstacle course.
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SAVE $14: As of April 14, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick for Nintendo Switch and Windows PC is on sale at Amazon for just $75.99 instead of its usual $89.99. That's 16% in savings and its lowest price in months.
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If you're seeking a beginner-friendly fight stick to accompany your Nintendo Switch or PC gaming, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick is calling your name. Not only is it an eye-catching NES-like nostalgic comfort, but it's fully customizable for just about any preference you may have. Plus, more importantly, it's on sale for its lowest price in months.
As of April 14, the 8BitDo Arcade Stick is down to just $75.99 at Amazon instead of its usual $89.99. That's 16% in savings and the lowest price we've seen since January.
Our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) dubbed the Arcade Stick an Editors' Choice for budget joysticks. They called it a "capable wireless controller that’s ideal for playing classic arcade games on the PC or Switch," adding that it's a great entry-level fight stick that offers room to grow.
While the Arcade Stick doesn't actually pack high-grade arcade parts, the build quality is solid, the controls are responsive, and the joystick is "satisfyingly clicky." Plus, it's designed with modding in mind, so you can pop open the hood and replace the base parts with whatever you wish.
It can wirelessly connect to a Nintendo Switch or Windows PC through Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz USB receiver and offers between 30 and 40 hours of battery life depending on which you choose. Of course, you can also keep a wired connection if you want to minimize any input lag. Unfortunately, it's not compatible with Android or any other gaming consoles. Still, for a more arcade-like experience from the comfort of your own home, check out the 8BitDo Arcade Stick while it's on sale.
Save $120: As of April 13, you can grab the Beelink SER5 MAX 7735HS mini PC with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for just $539, thanks to an on-page coupon at Amazon. Usually, this mini PC costs $659, so this deal saves you 18%.
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$659.01
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Despite its security flaws, OpenClaw's popularity as an open-source AI assistant has catapulted it to proper viral status (at least, within the AI community). While many users were running to pick up Mac Minis to run the assistant, the Apple computer isn't exactly at its cheapest right now.
Don't get us wrong — you can catch the Mac Mini on sale from time to time. But as of April 13, the $599 regular M4 version is unavailable at Amazon, and the more expensive M4 Pro model will run you $1,419.99 — not exactly the most cost effective solution.
Our advice? Check out other mini PCs on the market. At the time of writing, the Beelink SER5 MAX 7735HS mini PC with AMD Ryzen 7, 24GB RAM, and 1TB SSD is on sale for $539 with an on-page coupon, knocking $120 off its usual $659. Even when the M4 Mac mini is available, it can be harder to find it below $549, making this an especially competitive price for the Beelink PC.
Just a note: its important to be aware of the security risks that come with using this open source AI tool. And if you're already using OpenClaw, be sure to update to the latest version immediately.
SAVE 30%: As of April 13, you can get the DJI Mini 4K for $209, down from $299, at Amazon. That's a 30% discount or $90 savings.
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My dad and my cousin are obsessed with drones, so I've spent enough time watching them fly to know two things: the really good ones are usually very expensive, and they're easy to crash if you don't know what you're doing (and sometimes, even if you do!).
If you've been wanting to get into the hobby without the steep learning curve (or the high price tag), this DJI model is a great place to start. Right now, the DJI Mini 4K is listed at $299, but if you clip the on-page coupon, it drops to $209.
Despite its tiny size, this drone has the practical features you need to get in the air quickly. It has a 4K Ultra HD camera paired with a 3-axis gimbal to keep your footage smooth and cinematic. Because it weighs under 249 grams, you don't have to worry about FAA registration or Remote ID for recreational use. It also has a maximum flight time of 31 minutes, Level 5 wind resistance (stable in winds up to 38kph), and a 10km video transmission range.
If you're worried about flying it into a tree or the ocean, it features one-tap takeoff and landing, stable hovering, and a GPS Return to Home (RTH) function, so you don't have to panic if you lose it. It even comes with intelligent QuickShots modes that automatically fly the drone in cinematic patterns to get you professional-looking shots with just a few taps (which could be good if you're a real estate agent or photographer!).
The nostalgic 8BitDo Arcade Stick is at its cheapest price in months
Looking to run OpenClaw on the cheap? This mini PC deal has got you covered.
This beginner-friendly 4K drone just hit its best price ever thanks to a hidden coupon
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