Artemis 2 Crew Prepares for Splashdown After Lunar Flyby

NASA's round-the-moon test mission is nearing its end as the Orion spacecraft heads back to Earth.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 4:07am

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A bold, abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and oranges depicting the intricate systems and forces involved in the Artemis 2 spacecraft's entry, descent, and splashdown, conveying the structural order and technical precision of the mission without using any text or literal imagery.As the Artemis 2 crew prepares for a high-speed splashdown, a complex interplay of spacecraft systems and atmospheric forces will guide their safe return to Earth.Seattle Today

The crew of NASA's Artemis 2 mission is picking up speed as they approach their splashdown off the coast of California on Friday. After rounding the moon, the astronauts are counting on the Orion space capsule's systems to work perfectly during the high-speed entry and descent. NASA will provide live coverage of the splashdown, which is expected to be a major milestone in the Artemis program's preparation for a future lunar landing.

Why it matters

The successful completion of the Artemis 2 mission would mark the first time humans have gone around the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. This test flight is a critical step in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface as early as 2028. The data and experience gained from this mission will help inform the design and operations of future Orion spacecraft and lunar landing missions.

The details

The Artemis 2 crew - mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen - have been testing the Orion spacecraft's systems during their 10-day trip around the moon. On Friday, the crew module will separate from the service module, execute a series of roll maneuvers, and then enter the Earth's atmosphere at nearly 40 times the speed of sound. The heat shield and parachutes will slow the spacecraft down to a 20-mile-per-hour splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, where recovery teams will extract the astronauts and transport them to shore.

  • On April 1, the Orion spacecraft, christened Integrity by its crew, lifted off atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket.
  • On Friday, April 12, the Orion spacecraft is scheduled to splash down off the coast of California at around 5:07 p.m. PT.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The mission commander for the Artemis 2 crew.

Victor Glover

The pilot for the Artemis 2 crew.

Christina Koch

The mission specialist for the Artemis 2 crew.

Jeremy Hansen

The Canadian astronaut on the Artemis 2 crew.

Jeff Radigan

The Artemis 2 lead flight director.

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What they’re saying

“We're going to come into the atmosphere at almost 40 times the speed of sound, and then we will slow down to a 20-mile-an-hour touchdown into the Pacific. The heat shield and the parachutes are going to get us nice and slow. … We can't wait to see the dive team and the Navy that are going to pick us up.”

— Victor Glover, NASA pilot

“It's 13 minutes of things that have to go right. ... It's not 13 minutes. It's an hour and a half of things that have to go right.”

— Jeff Radigan, Artemis 2 lead flight director

“This mission is a major investment in science and a testament to human achievement. The Orion thrusters were built here in the state of Washington. And I invite you all to come and see the innovation and the people that you've inspired.”

— Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator, D-Wash.

“I think a rover can collect data a lot slower, but the human is going to be able to do it much faster. But then they're also going to come back and tell you how it feels, physiologically, in a technical and medical sense, but also in an emotional sense, so that we can continue to have that human connection. Not just the scientific and exploration, but the human connection.”

— Victor Glover, NASA pilot

What’s next

After the successful splashdown, the Orion capsule will be towed back onto the USS John P. Murtha's well deck for transport, while the astronauts will undergo medical evaluations before being flown to Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The takeaway

The Artemis 2 mission represents a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, paving the way for future lunar landings and demonstrating the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft. The successful completion of this mission will provide invaluable data and experience to help ensure the safety and success of future human exploration of the moon.