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Artemis II Crew Returns: Earth Splashdown Imminent
10 Apr
Summary
- Astronauts preparing for splashdown on April 10.
- Mission control monitoring heat shield's performance during re-entry.
- NASA and DoD team up for lunar crew reentry, first since 1972.
The Artemis II mission astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth on Friday, April 10, after a successful journey. The crew, including NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, reviewed re-entry procedures and prepared for trajectory correction burns. NASA officials have highlighted the launch and re-entry phases as the most critical, with the safe return of the crew being a significant concern.
Splashdown is expected off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 p.m. ET. The Orion capsule will re-enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed, and mission control will closely monitor the performance of its heat shield, which experienced more damage than expected on a previous uncrewed test flight. NASA has made adjustments to the capsule's descent to reduce heat exposure, with redesigned heat shields planned for future missions.
The recovery operation will involve the USS John P. Murtha and a squadron of military aircraft. This marks the first time NASA and the Defense Department have partnered for a lunar crew's re-entry since 1972. During re-entry, the spacecraft will experience intense heat and G-forces, followed by a communications blackout. Parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Following recovery, the astronauts will undergo medical evaluations before returning to Houston.
