Artemis II Crew Returns from Lunar Flyby Toward Scheduled Pacific Splashdown

By FRANCE 24 with AFP

*Published: 2026-04-10*

The Artemis II mission, which included a lunar flyby, data collection, and observations of the Moon, reached a key phase with the crew's scheduled return to Earth. The four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch of NASA, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency—completed a 10-day flight. Their spacecraft, Orion, is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 5:07 p.m. local time (00:07 GMT on Saturday).

Following the splashdown, NASA and U.S. military personnel plan to assist the crew in exiting the capsule and transport them to a recovery ship. The mission produced photographs of the Moon, which NASA has released publicly. NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya stated during a briefing on Thursday that the mission's success would not be declared until the crew is safely aboard the recovery ship. "When we can start celebrating is when we have a crew safely in the medbay of the ship," Kshatriya said. "That's really when we can allow the emotions to take over, and start talking about success. We need to have the crew home before we do that."

The mission followed Artemis I, an uncrewed test flight in 2022 that encountered issues with the Orion heat shield during reentry. The heat shield protects the capsule from extreme temperatures during atmospheric reentry, which for Artemis II are expected to reach approximately 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius)—about half the surface temperature of the Sun. The spacecraft will reenter at a peak speed of 34,965 feet per second (10,657 meters per second), exceeding 30 times the speed of sound.

During Artemis I, the heat shield experienced unexpected erosion, described by NASA as a disruption in the planned ablation process, where the shield material is intended to erode gradually to dissipate heat. In response, NASA adjusted the reentry trajectory for Artemis II, determining that the previous path contributed to the issues observed in the uncrewed flight. Kshatriya expressed confidence in the systems, stating, "We have high confidence in the system and the heat shield and the parachutes and the recovery systems we put together. The engineering supports it, the Artemis I flight data supports it. All of our ground test supports it. Our analysis supports it." He added that the crew would rely on this confidence during reentry.

Kshatriya acknowledged some uncertainty, noting, "it's impossible to say you don't have any irrational fears left," but emphasized, "I don't have any rational fears about what's going to happen."

Family members of the astronauts plan to monitor the return from NASA's Mission Control in Houston. Catherine Hansen, wife of astronaut Jeremy Hansen, described the week as involving "a lot of happiness and excitement, a lot of joy," alongside "some anxiety and some wanting to get him home safely."

NASA classifies Artemis II as a test mission for the second phase of the Artemis program, aimed at verifying the Orion capsule's performance with a human crew for the first time. The flight achieved several milestones: Victor Glover became the first person of color to travel around the Moon, Christina Koch the first woman to do so, and Jeremy Hansen the first non-U.S. astronaut on such a mission.

The crew provided detailed descriptions of lunar surface features during the flyby. They also observed a solar eclipse and reported meteorite impacts. NASA official Lakiesha Hawkins stated during a briefing this week that successful missions can create a perception of simplicity. "When the mission goes well, it can look like flying to the Moon is easy," Hawkins said. "It certainly is not. We can't forget that this is a test flight, and we are taking everything that we're learning forward to support the next mission."

Astronaut Christina Koch noted late Wednesday that "every single thing we do" considers the requirements of future crews. Mission commander Reid Wiseman reflected, "what we really hoped in our soul is that we could, for just a moment, have the world pause—and remember that this is a beautiful planet in a very special place in our universe. We should all cherish what we have been gifted."

The Artemis II mission represents a step in NASA's plans for future crewed lunar landings and related objectives. It builds on the Artemis I uncrewed test, which validated key systems despite the heat shield anomalies. Ground teams conducted extensive analysis post-Artemis I, leading to the trajectory modifications for this crewed flight. NASA has emphasized that all systems, including parachutes and recovery procedures, have been tested and analyzed based on flight data, engineering assessments, and ground simulations.

The crew's lunar flyby took them farther from Earth than previous human missions in terms of the mission profile, though maximum distance aligns with historical lunar trajectories. Public interest has been evident through the release of mission imagery, which depicts lunar vistas captured during the closest approach.

As the splashdown approaches, NASA teams remain focused on real-time monitoring. Recovery operations involve coordinated efforts between NASA and the U.S. Navy, with ships and aircraft positioned in the splashdown zone. Post-recovery medical checks will occur aboard the ship before transport to shore facilities.

This mission underscores ongoing international collaboration, highlighted by the inclusion of Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. NASA–ESA partnerships, referenced in related coverage, aim to support future explorations, including the Moon's far side and south pole.

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