Overview
- The Orion capsule splashed down off San Diego on Friday, ending a nearly 10‑day lunar flyby that carried four astronauts farther from Earth than any humans before.
- Artemis II put Orion’s life‑support and piloting systems through a free‑return path that used the Moon’s gravity to sling the crew back to Earth, and it delivered rare far‑side views and eclipse imagery.
- NASA says worsening helium leaks in Orion’s propulsion valves will require a redesign, and teams are reviewing heat‑shield performance after initial checks found no unexpected conditions during reentry.
- Next up, Artemis III is planned to stay near Earth to practice docking Orion with a commercial lunar lander, with the crew announcement expected soon and the docking hardware already at Kennedy Space Center.
- SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon are competing to support a 2028 south‑pole landing, with new test flights expected this year even as audits warn of delays and integration hurdles.