NASA Prepares for Artemis II Crew Splashdown and Recovery

Amentum and the U.S. Navy team up to safely retrieve astronauts and spacecraft from deep space mission.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 1:13pm

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After a historic 10-day mission around the moon, the Artemis II crew is set to return to Earth on April 10th. NASA's partner Amentum, along with the U.S. Navy, will lead the complex recovery operation that involves a naval ship, four helicopters, and precise procedures to safely retrieve the astronauts and the Orion spacecraft from the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in America's return to crewed deep space exploration. The successful splashdown and recovery will demonstrate the nation's renewed space capabilities and pave the way for future Artemis missions to the Moon.

The details

The Orion spacecraft is expected to splash down around 8:07 pm ET, triggering a full-scale recovery operation. Amentum will use a Navy ship with a well deck to handle the astronaut retrieval process, from navigating rough waters to transferring the crew directly to the medical bay. Four helicopters - two for primary rescue and two for imaging - will fly in circles over the splashdown site, lowering a basket to hoist each astronaut up. Once aboard the naval vessel, the astronauts will receive a quick medical checkup before being transported back to Houston. The Orion spacecraft will then be floated onto the ship's well deck, secured in a container, and shipped back to Kennedy Space Center.

  • The Artemis II mission is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego on April 10, 2026 at approximately 8:07 pm ET.
  • The astronaut retrieval process is expected to take several hours, with the first astronaut recovered around the initial splashdown time.

The players

Amentum

NASA's advanced engineering partner with responsibilities for the Artemis II splashdown and recovery operations.

U.S. Navy

Providing the ship and personnel to handle the complex astronaut retrieval process.

Jason Endsley

The lead ground instrumentation engineer with Amentum, responsible for monitoring data and learning from the recovery operation.

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What they’re saying

“What I'm really looking forward to is that first moment of splashdown. That really solidifies that the U.S. is back. The U.S. space supremacy is really moving forward. This is our first major step into crewed deep space exploration.”

— Jason Endsley, Lead Ground Instrumentation Engineer, Amentum

What’s next

After the successful splashdown and recovery, NASA will begin the process of analyzing data and lessons learned from the Artemis II mission to inform future deep space exploration efforts.

The takeaway

The Artemis II splashdown and recovery operation represents a significant milestone in America's return to the Moon, showcasing the nation's renewed space capabilities and paving the way for more ambitious crewed missions to deep space.