The Artemis II mission has entered the final phase of its return journey, with NASA and partner agencies preparing for the splashdown of the Orion spacecraft carrying four astronauts. The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
On April 6, 2026, the crew was seen on screens in the White Flight Control Room in NASA's Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they waved after a live interaction with US President Donald J. Trump during Flight Day 6.
The moment followed their lunar flyby as they continued their journey back to Earth.
At the start of the final phase, the crew began preparations for re-entry while listening to “Run to the Water” by Live and “Free” by Zac Brown Band, both selected by the astronauts. At that time, the spacecraft was about 61,326 miles away from Earth.
The ultimate (space) road trip playlist 🎧
— NASA (@NASA) April 10, 2026
The Artemis II astronauts talk about the process of picking their wake-up songs and share their favorite songs from the mission.
Listen to the songs in our Spotify playlist: https://t.co/2fcXhC5iEN pic.twitter.com/SxOil86rdQ
Final return burn and trajectory adjustment
NASA stated that the third return trajectory correction burn is scheduled for 2:53 pm. This manoeuvre will help refine Orion's path to ensure accurate atmospheric entry and splashdown. During this process, the spacecraft will make controlled adjustments to stay on course.
Splashdown timing and recovery plans
Splashdown is targeted for 8:07 pm EDT (5:07 pm) in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego. A joint recovery team consisting of NASA personnel and the US military will be present at the location to receive the crew.
NASA has also announced that live coverage of the return will begin at 6:30 pm and will be available on multiple platforms including NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Discovery+, Peacock, and Roku.
ALSO READ: NASA Publishes Official Photos from Artemis II Moon Flyby | Watch
Here's a timeline of astronauts return to earth
According to NASA's official website, the detailed sequence has been outlined for the spacecraft's descent and landing, which is as follows:
— At 7:33 pm, the crew module will separate from the service module, allowing the heat shield to face Earth's atmosphere. During re-entry, the spacecraft is expected to encounter temperatures of around 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
— At 7:37 pm, the crew module will perform an 18-second burn to adjust its angle for safe atmospheric entry and proper alignment of the heat shield.
— At 7:53 pm, Orion will reach an altitude of about 400,000 feet while travelling at nearly 35 times the speed of sound. At this stage, astronauts may experience forces of up to 3.9 Gs. This phase will also mark the beginning of a planned six-minute communication blackout due to plasma formation around the capsule.
— At 8:03 pm,drogue parachutes will deploy at around 22,000 feet to slow down and stabilise the spacecraft.
— At 8:04 pm, the drogue parachutes will detach, and three main parachutes will deploy at about 6,000 feet, reducing the speed to below 136 miles per hour.
— At 8:07 pm, Orion is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean at a speed of around 20 miles per hour, completing the mission's return after travelling a total distance of 694,481 miles.
What Happens Post-splashdown ?
Following splashdown, recovery teams will move in to retrieve the crew. Astronauts will be assisted onto an inflatable raft and then lifted by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha.
Within two hours of landing, the crew is expected to be on board the USS Murtha, where they will undergo medical evaluations. After this, they will be flown back to shore and then transported by aircraft to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
About Artemis II Mission
The Artemis II mission began on April 1 with the launch of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m.
During the mission, the crew carried out a lunar flyby, marking the first time humans travelled near the Moon in over 50 years. Throughout the journey, astronauts and ground teams conducted evaluations of the Orion spacecraft's systems in deep space, including tests involving direct crew interaction with the spacecraft.
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