How and When to Watch the Artemis II Mission’s Return to Earth

NASA's Artemis II mission crew is scheduled to return to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday evening, concluding their historic journey around the Moon, and the space agency will provide a comprehensive livestream of the event for global audiences. This homecoming marks the critical final phase of the test flight, designed to validate the Orion spacecraft's systems for re-entry and recovery ahead of future crewed lunar landings. The return sequence will begin with the Orion capsule separating from its service module before entering Earth's atmosphere at approximately 25,000 miles per hour. The spacecraft will endure temperatures nearing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during this phase, relying on its advanced heat shield—the largest ever built—to protect the four astronauts inside: NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Following atmospheric deceleration, a series of parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule for a gentle splashdown off the coast of San Diego. NASA's coverage, available on its website, NASA TV, and social media platforms, will include multiple live views from recovery ships and aircraft stationed in the splashdown zone. The successful recovery of the crew and spacecraft is the final major objective of the Artemis II mission, which launched last year to test life support, communication, and navigation systems in deep space. This mission paves the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts near the lunar south pole later this decade.