Artemis 2 descends on its three important parachutes for a spot-on splashdown on April 10, 2026. Credit score: NASA/Invoice Ingalls
The Artemis 2 mission that flew astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen across the Moon for the primary time in additional than 50 years is returning to Earth immediately.
Following its historic journey across the Moon, Artemis 2 has been headed again towards dwelling. The mission is scheduled to culminate with the Orion crew capsule Integrity‘s splashdown at 8:07 P.M. EDT on Friday, April 10, within the Pacific Ocean close to San Diego. However first, the capsule should face up to temperatures of some 3,000 levels Fahrenheit (1,650 levels Celsius), touring at 35 instances the velocity of sound and subjecting the crew practically 4 Gs of drive throughout reentry. All through all of it, the warmth defend should maintain; after extra of the uncrewed Artemis 1’s warmth defend burned away than anticipated throughout reentry in 2022, NASA engineers have tweaked Artemis 2’s trajectory to scale back put on on the warmth defend and maintain the crew secure.
After splashdown, helicopter crews from the USS John P. Murtha will retrieve the astronauts for medical analysis and return them first to California, then lastly to NASA’s Johnson House Middle in Houston.
We’ll start following the occasions dwell beginning round 6:30 p.m. EDT, when NASA protection will start. To rise up to hurry on the mission up to now, try our full information to Artemis 2 and discover the total mission timeline.
Thanks for becoming a member of us to observe Artemis 2 return to Earth. Our splashdown dwell protection has ended. Test again at Astronomy.com for extra updates.
Reside updates
Est. Time to Splashdown
T- 00:00:00:00
Occasions are proven in native time; they’re estimates and topic to vary.
10:13 P.M. EDT: Mission full
All 4 astronauts have left the helicopters for the ship’s medical bay, making the brief, one-minute stroll beneath their very own energy and to applause from these on the flight deck. All through the splashdown and look ahead to pickup, all crew members frequently reported feeling good.
Now, because the solar units, restoration crews will now proceed their work to carry Integrity again to the ship.
Artemis 2’s journey has come to an in depth, signaling a large leap ahead on humanity’s return to the Moon. The 4 triumphant astronauts, who traveled farther from Earth than anybody ever earlier than, will subsequent fly to NASA’s Johnson House Middle in Houston on Saturday, April 11.
Thanks for becoming a member of us to observe Artemis 2 return to Earth. Our splashdown dwell protection has ended. Test again at Astronomy.com for extra updates.
10:08 P.M. EDT: The astronauts stay aboard the helicopters as NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulates them on the flight deck. NASA flight surgeons are additionally checking the crew’s standing earlier than bringing them to the ship’s medical amenities for full evaluations.
9:58 P.M. EDT: The second helicopter, carrying Jeremy Hansen and Reid Wiseman, has landed. All 4 crew members are actually safely aboard the USS John P. Murtha.
9:56 P.M. EDT: The primary helicopter carrying two of the Artemis 2 crew, Christina Koch and Victor Glover, has landed aboard the USS John P. Murtha.
9:54 P.M. EDT: Mission commander Reid Wiseman, the ultimate Artemis 2 crew member to go away the entrance porch, has been introduced aboard the restoration helicopter. The astronauts are actually headed again to the USS John P. Murtha, the place they are going to be taken to the ship’s medical amenities for analysis.
In the meantime, further restoration crews stay with Integrity to organize after which tow the craft again to the ship.
9:50 P.M. EDT: The primary Artemis 2 crew member is being transferred from the entrance porch raft to one in all two MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters.
Every helicopter will carry two astronauts, alternating pickups. Helicopters are used to extra shortly and simply carry the crew from the capsule to the ready USS John P. Murtha for analysis. It’s a couple of three-minute flight from the capsule’s location to the ship.
9:35 P.M. EDT: Mission commander Reid Wiseman has left Integrity, the final crew member to emerge. All 4 Artemis 2 crew members are on the entrance porch within the Solar after spending practically 10 days in area. Mission Management in Houston has erupted into cheers.
Shortly, the astronauts will probably be hoisted from the raft into the ready helicopters for transport again to the USS John P. Murtha.
9:32 P.M. EDT: Two crew members are actually having fun with the recent air on the entrance porch raft exterior the floating Integrity capsule.
9:31 P.M. EDT: The primary Artemis 2 crew member has emerged from Integrity with the assistance of Navy personnel and is now on the entrance porch raft.
9:24 P.M. EDT: The stabilization collar is totally inflated and the entrance porch raft that can function a short lived staging space for the astronauts as they emerge has additionally been totally inflated and is now being connected the hatch of Integrity.
9:20 P.M. EDT: The crew of Navy divers has arrange and is starting to inflate the stabilization collar ringing the bottom of the capsule, offering added stability within the water for the astronauts to egress. The entrance porch raft can also be being unfolded and inflated.
9:10 P.M. EDT: The restoration crew experiences currents are considerably hindering the setup of stabilizing floats across the craft, however they’re continuing slowly. 4 divers stay contained in the capsule with the returned astronauts as others work to arrange the stabilization collar to maintain the capsule upright within the water.
NASA requires the astronauts to be extracted from the capsule inside two hours of splashdown. The company experiences there may be nonetheless loads of time to satisfy this criterion.
8:55 P.M. EDT: Restoration crews have reached Integrity and efficiently opened the capsule’s aspect hatch, exposing the inside to recent air for the primary time since launch. 4 restoration personnel will finally enter the craft (one for every astronaut) to evaluate and assist them egress.
8:50 P.M. EDT: “An ideal mission”
Talking from the deck of the USS John P. Murtha moments in the past, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman mentioned of Artemis 2: “I can’t think about a greater crew than the Artemis 2 crew that simply accomplished an ideal mission proper now.”
“I simply couldn’t be extra happy with your complete workforce … It’s an enormous second for everyone. We’re again within the enterprise of sending astronauts to the Moon, bringing them again safely, and to arrange for a collection of extra. I imply, this isn’t a as soon as in a lifetime. … That is only the start.”
8:41 P.M. EDT: The official mission length has now been up to date. NASA Flight Dynamics experiences splashdown occurred at 8:07:27 P.M. EDT., making the Artemis 2 mission’s ultimate elapsed time 9 days 1 hour 32 minutes 15 seconds.
Integrity is now powered down and the crew experiences being in “wonderful situation” as they look ahead to restoration groups to strategy.
8:35 P.M. EDT: The spacecraft is now being powered down and the restoration crew will quickly strategy the capsule.
8:35 P.M. EDT: The restoration crew will quickly strategy the capsule to
8:21 P.M. EDT: There’s some problem in establishing communications between restoration crews and Integrity by way of radio. Though the astronauts report receiving messages from the restoration craft, however restoration vessels can not hear Integrity‘s response. Nonetheless, restoration crews have begun shifting towards the capsule in preparation for attaching a small inflatable raft, known as the entrance porch, to the hatch to permit the astronauts to egress.
8:14 P.M. EDT: Restoration crews from the USS John P. Murtha are actually heading for the capsule’s place. These embrace Navy divers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, in addition to two MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters from San Diego-based Helicopter Sea Fight Squadron 23 “Wildcards.”
There are not any poisonous gases detected within the space, which means restoration crews can safely strategy. Nonetheless, they won’t achieve this till the spacecraft is totally powered down, which is anticipated to take a number of extra minutes.
8:10 P.M. EDT: Integrity confirms “4 inexperienced crew members,” which means all astronauts are in good situation.
The capsule’s important parachutes have been lower and its airbags inflated, making certain Integrity stays upright to permit the crew to soundly exit.
8:07 P.M. EDT: Splashdown!
Integrity has efficiently splashed down within the Pacific Ocean, bringing the astronauts’ 694,481-mile (1,117,659 km) spaceflight to an finish.
The capsule has landed right-side up; NASA experiences “An ideal bull’s-eye splashdown for Integrity and its astronauts.”
8:05 P.M. EDT: Important parachute deployment
Integrity’s three 116-foot-wide (35 m) important parachutes have deployed at an altitude of 6,000 ft (1,830 m). They may sluggish the craft from 50 mph (240 km/h) to its ultimate splashdown velocity of 17 mph (27 km/h). The craft’s search and restoration beacon has been activated.
“We see three handsome parachutes,” experiences Mission Management.
8:04 P.M. EDT: Drogue parachute deployment
Integrity’s two drogue parachutes have deployed at an altitude of twenty-two,000 ft (6,700 m). These 23-foot (7 m) parachutes stabilize the descending capsule and are designed to scale back its velocity from 350 mph (560 km/h) to 150 mph (240 km/h).
8:01 P.M. EDT: “Houston, Integrity, now we have you loud and clear.”
Voice communication has been reestablished with Integrity.
7:59 P.M. EDT: Though nonetheless within the communications blackout interval, NASA experiences a number of airborne property related to the restoration have visible affirmation of Integrity because it descends.
7:55 P.M. EDT: Integrity is now coming into the interval of peak heating, reaching temperatures of 4,000 to five,000 F (2,200 to 2,760 C), touring at 33,000 ft (10,000 meters) per second).
7:54 P.M. EDT: Integrity reaches Earth’s ambiance, communications blackout commences
Integrity has reached an altitude of 400,000 ft (121,920 meters), touring at 25,000 mph (40,000 km/h). The crew is experiencing some 3.9 Gs of drive as they encounter our planet’s ambiance for the primary time since launch. Integrity now has 1,701 nautical miles to journey from this entry interface to the purpose of splashdown and is seconds from hitting hit its peak velocity of 24,661 mph (39,690 km/h).
The deliberate six-minute communications blackout has begun, brought on by the buildup of sizzling plasma across the capsule because it slams down by means of the ambiance. The blackout is anticipated to finish at 7:59:55 P.M. EDT.
7:53 P.M. EDT: NASA experiences climate on the splashdown web site is “go” with one minute till entry interface.
7:47 P.M. EDT: Integrity experiences: “Crew and automobile are configured for entry.”
7:44 P.M. EDT: NASA experiences Integrity has accomplished a roll, shifting from southwest to northeast throughout the Pacific Ocean. Vary to landing is 4,300 nautical miles with all techniques in wonderful form.
7:42 P.M. EDT: Wiseman experiences: “We now have an important view of the Moon out window 2. Appears just a little smaller than yesterday.”
7:38 P.M. EDT: NASA confirms that with the completion of the crew module increase burn, Artemis 2’s reentry trajectory is about and won’t be amended additional.
7:37 P.M. EDT: Crew module increase burn full
The Orion capsule has used its personal thrusters to carry out a 19-second crew module increase burn, placing distance between it and the service module in addition to adjusting the orientation and entry angle of the spacecraft. This ensures the warmth defend is positioned accurately for reentry, the place it might want to face up to some 3,000 to five,000 F (1,650 to 2,760 C).
Artemis 2’s warmth defend is similar as that employed on Artemis 1, which confirmed extra ablation and cracking than anticipated. To scale back danger and make sure the warmth defend will maintain, mission planners have intentionally modified Artemis 2’s reentry trajectory barely from that of Artemis 1 to scale back the space traveled by means of the ambiance and the time the defend is heated.
Previous to the burn, Integrity reported seeing the now-separated European Service Module out the spacecraft window, reporting: “It’s a beautiful-looking machine.”
7:34 P.M. EDT: “Good sep on board”
The NASA Orion crew module and ESA European Service Module have separated, permitting the crew capsule to orient its warmth defend towards Earth to bear the warmth of its reentry.
The 13-foot lengthy (4 m) service module supplied a lot of Artemis 2’s energy and thrust all through the mission, carrying gas, water, and air for the crew. Its 33 engines supplied thrust and maneuverability because the spacecraft flew to, round, and again from the Moon. The service module will reenter the ambiance individually and fritter away over the Pacific Ocean.
7:30 P.M. EDT: The pyrotechnics are actually armed for the command and repair module separation, scheduled for 7:33 P.M. EDT. From Mission Management: “Your automobile is in a superb config for CMSM sep and go for CM increase.”
7:28 P.M. EDT: A steeper, shorter reentry profile
NASA officers have reiterated the variations between the Artemis 1 reentry profile and the trail Artemis 2 will take by means of the ambiance. Artemis 1 traveled 3,178 nautical miles from entry to splashdown utilizing a skip entry profile, skipping by means of the outer ambiance and again out once more like a stone skipping on water. This uncovered the warmth defend to some 20 minutes of peak heating publicity.
Artemis 2 will are available in at a steeper angle designed to guard the warmth defend from extreme load. It can journey simply 1,071 nautical miles and expertise solely 14 minutes of heating.
Future Artemis missions will make the most of a unique design of warmth defend and resume the skip entry profile.
7:26 P.M. EDT: NASA experiences a superb sizzling fireplace check in preparation for the upcoming separation of crew and repair modules.
7:17 P.M. EDT: Communications handover full
Mission Management has now handed communications with Integrity from the ground-based radio dishes from the DSN to the TDRS system. These geosynchronous satellites provide higher protection than the DSN and can enable fixed communications with the spacecraft.
The spacecraft is now 6,300 miles (10,140 km) from Earth, touring at 15,260 mph (24,560 km/h).
7:05 P.M. EDT: Wiseman experiences “a phenomenal dawn over the west coast of Australia.”
6:49 P.M. EDT: Integrity experiences all 4 astronauts are suited up and can start ultimate leak checks shortly.
6:44 P.M. EDT: Assistant NASA Restoration Director Paul Sierpinski says following the third and ultimate Return Trajectory Correction Burn this afternoon, Artemis 2 is “Proper on the cash, proper down the center.”
6:37 P.M. EDT: Splashdown protection begins
NASA’s dwell protection of Artemis 2’s return to Earth has begun. The spacecraft is now 14,600 miles (23,500 km) from Earth, touring at a velocity of 11,400 mph (18,350 km/h).
The crew is within the ultimate phases of their reentry guidelines. The following main milestone will are available in roughly 40 minutes, when communications between the bottom and spacecraft are handed over from the Deep House Community (DSN) to the Earth-orbiting Telemetry and Knowledge Relay Satellite tv for pc (TDRS) system.
6:44 P.M. EDT: Assistant NASA Restoration Director Paul Sierpinski says following the third and ultimate Return Trajectory Correction Burn this afternoon, Artemis 3 is “Proper on the cash, proper down the center.”
Learn how to watch
The best approach to watch is on NASA’s YouTube channel, however you may also stream dwell protection beginning at 6:30 p.m. EDT on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Discovery+, Peacock, and Roku. NASA protection will proceed till the crew is safely out of Orion and aboard the USS John P. Murtha.
What to anticipate
As Integrity approaches Earth and enters the ambiance, there will probably be a number of key milestones of be aware.
Following a ultimate main burn of the craft’s thrusters at 2:53 P.M. EDT to set the ultimate return and reentry trajectory, the crew will now eat and end ultimate preparations to prepared their capsule and themselves for reentry. This consists of stowing gear and placing on their Orion Crew Survival System fits.
At 7:33 P.M. EDT, the actual present begins. That is when the Orion crew capsule will separate from the service module; the latter will fall again to Earth by itself, burning up in our ambiance. 4 minutes later, at 7:37 P.M. EDT, the crew will use Orion’s thrusters in a “increase burn” to make sure the capsule is angled correctly for reentry so the warmth defend can do its job.
At 7:53 P.M. EDT, the capsule will attain an altitude of 400,000 ft (121,920 meters), coming into contact with Earth’s higher ambiance whereas touring at a velocity of practically 24,000 mph (38,620 km/h). This additionally begins an anticipated six-minute radio blackout interval.
At 8:03 P.M. EDT, drogue parachutes will deploy when the capsule is a few 22,000 ft (6,700 m) excessive. One minute later, with the craft now at an altitude of 6,000 ft (1,830 m), the three bigger important parachutes will deploy at 8:04 P.M. EDT.
Lastly, with the craft now touring simply 20 mph (32 km/h), the Orion capsule is anticipated to splash down within the Pacific Ocean at 8:07 P.M. EDT. Following splashdown, crews at present aboard the USS John P. Murtha will fly out to the capsule to retrieve the astronauts inside two hours.
