How and When to Watch NASA’s Artemis II Splash Down in Pacific Ocean

NASA's Artemis II mission, carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, is scheduled to conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2024, marking the final, critical phase of this uncrewed test flight's journey around the Moon. The event will be the culmination of a roughly 10-day mission designed to validate the spacecraft's systems for future crewed lunar exploration. The precise timing and location of the splashdown are dependent on mission parameters and weather conditions in the recovery zone. The splashdown will occur off the coast of San Diego, California, where NASA's recovery team, led by the U.S. Navy aboard the USS John P. Murtha, will be stationed to retrieve the capsule and its crew. This operation is a meticulously planned procedure to ensure the astronauts' safe exit from the spacecraft and their swift transport back to land. The re-entry phase itself is a high-stakes event, as the Orion capsule will hit Earth's atmosphere at approximately 25,000 miles per hour, generating temperatures near 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, testing its heat shield—a key component being evaluated on this mission. NASA will provide comprehensive live coverage of the event, beginning several hours before the scheduled splashdown time. Viewers worldwide can watch the broadcast on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website. The coverage will include live views from the recovery ships, commentary from mission control, and analysis of the spacecraft's final descent and parachute deployment. This mission is a pivotal step in the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface and establish a sustainable presence there, with Artemis II serving as the first crewed flight to orbit the Moon since the Apollo era.