NASA’s Artemis II crew is set to splashdown as their 10-day Moon mission enters its final phase.
The historic mission kicked off on April 1 for lunar flyby, paving the way for future moon landings.
When is Artemis 2 splashdown?
On Flight Day 9, astronauts are completing critical re-entry procedures before their scheduled return to Earth tomorrow.
Aboard the Orion spacecraft, the crew started the day by reviewing re-entry steps, finalising cabin configuration, and securing equipment.
Moreover, the team analysed weather conditions and recovery plans for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
NASA confirmed that Orion will perform a return trajectory correction burn to refine its path for safe atmospheric re-entry.
The spacecraft will expectedly reach speeds of nearly 24,000 mph and experience a brief communications blackout because of extreme heat.
As Orion descends, drogue parachutes will deploy at around 22,000 feet, followed by three main parachutes at 6,000 feet to ensure a controlled splashdown. Recovery teams, including U.S. Navy personnel will remain on duty to retrieve the crew shortly after landing.
The mission marks humanity’s return beyond low-Earth orbit since Apollo, with global audiences closely monitoring the Artemis II splashdown and safe return of astronauts.
