Artemis II: Coming Home Special Ignites ABC on Friday

The live coverage of the Artemis II spacecraft's return to Earth drew strong ratings for ABC.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:12pm

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A highly abstract, geometric painting in muted tones of blue, green, and orange, depicting sweeping arcs and spiraling waveforms that suggest the complex forces and dynamics involved in the Artemis II spacecraft's return to Earth.The dramatic return of the Artemis II spacecraft captivated audiences, showcasing the continued public fascination with space exploration.Boston Today

ABC's live coverage of the Artemis II spacecraft's splashdown and return to Earth on Friday, April 10th drew strong ratings, with the 8pm ET special averaging 5.73 million viewers and a 1.85 rating among adults 18-49. The network followed up the Artemis II special with an encore of Celebrity Jeopardy! and then a two-hour 20/20 newsmagazine broadcast.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon, and the live coverage of the spacecraft's return generated significant interest and viewership. The strong ratings demonstrate the public's continued fascination with space exploration and the Artemis program in particular.

The details

ABC's Artemis II: Coming Home special provided live coverage of the Artemis II spacecraft's splashdown in the Pacific Ocean and the subsequent recovery efforts. The 30-minute special aired from 8-8:30pm ET and was followed by an encore presentation of Celebrity Jeopardy! and then a two-hour 20/20 broadcast.

  • The Artemis II: Coming Home special aired on Friday, April 10, 2026 from 8-8:30pm ET.
  • The Artemis II spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean earlier that day.

The players

Artemis II

The second crewed mission in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon.

ABC

The American broadcast television network that aired live coverage of the Artemis II spacecraft's return.

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What they’re saying

“The Artemis II mission is a major milestone in NASA's efforts to return humans to the Moon, and the live coverage of the spacecraft's return generated significant public interest.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

The takeaway

The strong ratings for ABC's Artemis II: Coming Home special demonstrate the continued public fascination with space exploration and NASA's Artemis program. As the Artemis program progresses, the live coverage of key mission events is likely to continue drawing large audiences.