Published April 10, 2026 — last updated April 10, 2026
Four crew members aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft are preparing to reenter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California. Splashdown is planned for April 10, shortly after 8 p.m. US Eastern Time (0100 GMT).
The mission
The Artemis II crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — launched from Cape Canaveral on April 1 for a roughly 10-day lunar flyby mission. They became the first humans to observe the far side of the Moon and pushed farther from Earth than any human mission since Apollo, breaking Apollo 13’s distance record.
Why this return matters
A clean, successful reentry and recovery are critical for NASA’s plans to proceed with Artemis III, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface. The mission will also validate systems needed to bring astronauts safely back from beyond lunar distance. The planned return will be the fastest and hottest crewed reentry since Apollo 13.
Splashdown and recovery
NASA will recover the Orion capsule in the Pacific using US Navy ships and divers. Water landings let teams retrieve the capsule intact for inspection. After the crew is assisted out of the spacecraft and medically checked, they will be flown to a Navy ship and later return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Mission cost and context
Artemis II is the first crewed lunar mission since 1972. Questions about program cost and funding accompany the technical and safety milestones; explainer materials provide detail on how the mission was financed and what it means for future Artemis missions.
Notes
The crew reported seeing sights they had “never even imagined.” NASA and partners will closely inspect the Orion capsule and evaluate reentry systems before certifying future crewed lunar landings. Media and public coverage followed the mission live as the crew attempted the single, critical reentry that will determine the program’s next steps.