NASA's Artemis II Crew Returns With Historic Pacific Ocean Splashdown Off San Diego

NASA's Artemis II mission is set to conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

“SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Here is what you need to know in the Apr”

10News

The four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft have completed a record-setting 10-day mission.

10News

The splashdown sequence begins with separation of the European Service Module and takes roughly 42 minutes to complete.

The re-entry subjects the capsule to temperatures of nearly 2,760C, about half as hot as the Sun.

Recovery teams will retrieve the crew using helicopters and the USS John P. Murtha.

NASA has high confidence in the system, in the heat shield and the parachutes.

The Orion capsule will hit Earth's atmosphere traveling at about 24,000 mph.

Temperatures across the heat shield will climb to some 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

20 Minutes

A system of 11 parachutes deploys in sequence to slow the capsule to roughly 20 mph.

Recovery teams will extract the crew and fly them via helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha.

The entire splashdown and recovery process is expected to take four to six hours.

The Artemis II crew set a new human distance record, traveling 252,756 miles from Earth.

“NASA’s Artemis II mission is nearing its final stage, with the Orion spacecraft set for a high-speed return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean”

Al Jazeera

The mission included a historic lunar flyby, the first human observations of the moon's far side since 1972.

The crew dealt with challenges, including a malfunctioning toilet.

The mission mascot, a plush named Rise, became a viral sensation.

The crew proposed dedicating a moon crater to the late Carroll Taylor Wiseman.

Multiple watch parties are planned in California.

Experts told USA Today that people should look west over the Pacific around 5 p.m. PT.

BBC

NASA is streaming the return live across multiple platforms.

The recovery operation involves Navy divers and helicopter transport.