Tonight marks the end of an extraordinary Moon journey for four astronauts as Artemis 2 prepares to return to Earth and make a splashdown in the sea. Although Artemis 2 did not land on the Moon or orbit it, the crew, led by Reid Wiseman, set a new distance record by traveling 252,756 miles, surpassing Apollo 13’s achievement.
The anticipation is high for the grand finale as Artemis 2’s astronauts aim for a splashdown on Friday night to conclude humanity’s first Moon voyage in over 50 years. Mission Control is closely monitoring the astronauts’ return as they come closer to Earth.
The scientists are particularly focused on the capsule’s heat shield, which must endure extreme temperatures during re-entry. The crew, including Commander Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, are set to re-enter the atmosphere at Mach 32, a speed not witnessed since NASA’s Apollo missions.
Having departed from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 1, the astronauts’ Orion capsule is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego, California, around 8.07 pm local time. While not visible to British observers without aid, the splashdown can be watched live.
Following the splashdown, the crew will be extracted from the capsule and transported to the USS John P. Murtha for medical evaluations before returning to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA’s detailed plan includes post-mission procedures ensuring the safe return of the astronauts.
