When people think of space missions, underwater photography is rarely part of the picture. But during the recent Artemis II lunar mission, it played a surprising and important role.

U.S. Navy divers were positioned beneath the ocean’s surface to document the spacecraft’s return, capturing a unique perspective of the splashdown. The result was a series of striking images that offer a view of spaceflight recovery rarely seen before. One photo released by NASA reveals an almost surreal underwater scene moments after the capsule touched down.

Beyond their visual impact, these images serve a critical scientific purpose. Engineers will use them to evaluate how the spacecraft’s heat shield performed during reentry and landing in the ocean.

NASA also captured footage from above. “Airborne imagery of Orion’s crew module was obtained during reentry and will be analyzed in the coming weeks,” the agency said, noting that the data will help determine how the heat shield behaved, including areas of minimal material loss.

The heat shield is essential for protecting astronauts as the spacecraft reenters Earth’s atmosphere at extreme speeds. It has long been one of the most closely watched components of the Artemis program. During the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, the heat shield experienced notable damage, raising concerns.

Early indications from Artemis II, however, suggest a strong improvement. NASA reported that key components, including the ceramic tiles on the crew module, performed as expected.

Still, the path forward is not without challenges. As NASA works toward returning humans to the Moon by 2028, other setbacks have emerged.

One of them involves Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, whose New Glenn rocket recently failed to place a commercial satellite into its intended orbit. The rocket, expected to support future Artemis missions, has since been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration pending further investigation.

Despite these hurdles, Artemis II represents a major step forward — not only in advancing human space exploration, but also in capturing it from entirely new and unexpected perspectives.