What is the riskiest part of the Artemis II mission?

The riskiest part of the Artemis II mission is the re-entry of the Orion spacecraft into Earth's atmosphere.

How fast will the Orion spacecraft be traveling during re-entry?

The Orion spacecraft will hit Earth's atmosphere travelling at approximately 40,000 km/h.

When and where is the Artemis II splashdown expected?

The splashdown is expected at 10.07am in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

Home / Science / Fiery Return: Orion's Riskiest Descent Begins

Fiery Return: Orion's Riskiest Descent Begins

11 Apr

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Summary

Orion spacecraft faces its most dangerous moment during re-entry.
Astronauts will experience plasma temperatures near the sun's surface.
Splashdown is scheduled for 10.07am in the Pacific Ocean.

Fiery Return: Orion's Riskiest Descent Begins

The Artemis II mission is reaching its climax with the highly dangerous re-entry of the Orion spacecraft into Earth's atmosphere. This phase is considered the riskiest part of the 10-day journey.

The four-person crew, Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, will encounter extreme conditions as they hit the atmosphere at approximately 40,000 km/h. They will be enveloped in plasma approximately half as hot as the sun's surface.

The re-entry process involves several critical, timed events. The module containing the astronauts will separate from the spacecraft's surface module in the upper atmosphere. A final thruster burn will adjust the crew module's trajectory before it enters the Earth's upper atmosphere, initiating a planned radio blackout due to the scorching plasma.