Artemis II Crew Expected to Return to Earth

Why It Matters

Artemis II is the first crewed test of Orion since Artemis I and a key validation of NASA’s ability to return humans beyond low Earth orbit, underpinning plans for sustained lunar operations and future missions to Mars. A successful reentry and splashdown will clear critical milestones for upcoming Artemis missions and the broader lunar exploration program.

Summary

NASA’s Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity is preparing to return to Earth, with splashdown targeted in roughly 12 hours off the coast of San Diego after about nine days in flight. Mission Control in Houston reports the crew is currently asleep and Orion is roughly 80,000 miles from Earth and 177,000 miles from the Moon as teams conduct entry rehearsals and final stowage. Flight controllers led by Flight Director Ron Spencer reviewed entry procedures with the astronauts—Christina Cook, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen—and continue continuous live coverage. The team emphasized nominal systems status and ongoing imagery and data uplinks from the spacecraft.

Original Description

Artemis II crew expected to return to Earth