Artemis II splashdown: When astronauts will return to Earth
The Artemis II mission is set to conclude with a historic splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, marking the first return of astronauts from a crewed lunar flyby in more than five decades.
According to NASA mission updates, the Orion spacecraft carrying the four-member Artemis II crew is scheduled to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down on Friday, April 10, 2026, at approximately 8:07 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which corresponds to 5:07 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), News.Az reports.
The landing zone is planned for the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, United States, where recovery teams from the U.S. Navy will be stationed to retrieve the crew and spacecraft shortly after touchdown.
Re-entry and landing sequence
As Orion approaches Earth, it will separate from its service module and begin a high-speed re-entry into the atmosphere, traveling at speeds exceeding 20,000 mph. The spacecraft will then undergo intense heating due to atmospheric friction before deploying a series of parachutes to slow its descent for a controlled ocean landing.
Once splashdown occurs, Navy divers will secure the capsule and assist the astronauts into recovery rafts before transporting them by helicopter to the recovery ship, the USS John P. Murtha. From there, the crew will undergo medical checks before returning to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Significance of the mission
Artemis II is the first crewed test flight of NASA’s Artemis program, designed to validate systems for future lunar landings. The mission successfully completed a lunar flyby before beginning its return journey to Earth, traveling farther from Earth than any humans since the Apollo era.
The splashdown will mark the successful completion of a 10-day deep space mission and will provide critical data for future Artemis missions, including planned lunar landings later in the decade.
By Nijat Babayev
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