LOS ANGELES (CNS) - NASA's Artemis II mission, piloted by a Southern California native, was expected to return to Earth Friday, with a splashdown planned off the coast of San Diego after traveling around the far side of the moon and farther from Earth than any humans in history.

The mission surpassed the previous distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970 at 248,655 miles during its lunar flyby Monday, according to NASA.

The roughly six-hour lunar loop marked a key milestone in NASA's first crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo era, sending three Americans and one Canadian around the moon as part of plans to land astronauts near the lunar south pole within the next two years.

Among the astronauts aboard is Victor Glover, a Southern California native who was born in Pomona, attended Ontario High School and graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Serving as pilot of the Orion spacecraft, he is the first person of color to take part in a lunar mission.

Glover is joined by Commander Reid Wiseman and mission specialists Christina Hammock Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

NASA and the U.S. Navy began making arrangements this week to recover the astronauts and their Orion capsule, known as "Integrity," following a planned splashdown Friday.

The amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha has been designated to retrieve the crew and spacecraft.

In a statement Monday, the Navy said the ship has "unique advantages" that will assist NASA in the Orion space capsule's recovery and collection of "critical data to help ensure it's ready to recover the astronauts and capsule during future Artemis missions."

The ship's commanding officer, Capt. Erik Kenny, said the ship's mission this week was "a fitting tribute" to its namesake, Pennsylvania Congressman John P. Murtha.

"We are honored to carry on his legacy by supporting NASA and the Artemis II mission," Kenny said.

A U.S. Navy helicopter squadron based out of Naval Air Station North Island will assist in tracking the capsule while it travels through Earth's atmosphere, then recover the four astronauts and bring them to the ship for assessment, the Navy said.

Navy divers will also recover and transport the Orion space capsule from the water to the ship's deck.

NASA used cameras mounted on the spacecraft this week to examine its exterior for any signs of damage or irregularities that could threaten the astronauts' safety ahead of Friday's return. Re-entry is one of the most demanding phases of a mission, as spacecraft are subjected to extreme heat and pressure while passing through Earth's atmosphere.

The inspection found the spacecraft to be in good condition, according to Debbie Korth, deputy manager of the Orion program.

"No concerns," Korth said at a news conference Wednesday. "No issues seen that would make us have any pause for the re-entry phase."

The Artemis II crew has drawn widespread attention on Earth through broadcasts and news conferences from inside their capsule, which offers roughly the same living space as two minivans.

Asked Wednesday what she would miss most about the mission, Koch pointed to the bond among the crew and with colleagues on the ground.

"We are close like brothers and sisters, and that is a privilege we will never have again," she said.

On Thursday, the crew began preparing the cabin for re-entry and reviewing entry procedures.

The astronauts will stow equipment, install their seats and secure loose items ahead of splashdown, which is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. Friday.

NASA plans to stream the crew's return to Earth live beginning at 4:30 p.m.

During the flyby, Artemis II astronauts photographed the lunar surface and recorded observations while briefly losing contact with mission control for about 40 minutes as the capsule passed behind the moon.

As they emerged from the far side, the crew joined the small group of humans to witness an "Earthrise."

Glover previously spent more than five months aboard the International Space Station in 2020-21, traveling there on the first full crew rotation flight by a U.S. commercial spacecraft.

He also has extensive ties to Southern California beyond his upbringing, having served as a test pilot at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in the Mojave Desert and earning a master's degree from Air University at Edwards Air Force Base.

Communications for the mission are being handled in part by NASA's Deep Space Network, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

The current schedule calls for the Artemis III launch sometime next year, with lunar landers under development by Hawthorne-based SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.

Artemis IV is expected to launch in early 2028, marking a return of astronauts to the lunar surface.

Artemis V, another lunar surface mission, is projected for late 2028, with additional missions planned roughly once a year after that.

Bill Handel