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Artemis II Set to Splash Down Off San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET

The high‑stakes reentry will help validate Orion’s heat shield performance ahead of planned lunar landings.

Overview

  • NASA says splashdown is set for Friday at 8:07 p.m. ET off San Diego after a 10‑day crewed flight around the Moon.
  • The reentry sequence includes service‑module separation, a brief communications blackout during peak heating, and staged parachute deployment.
  • Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will be recovered by a U.S. Navy team aboard the USS John P. Murtha.
  • The crew is expected to remain inside the capsule for about two hours before extraction and medical exams on the ship.
  • NASA adjusted the reentry plan after heat‑shield wear seen on the uncrewed Artemis I, making this descent a key proof of Orion’s readiness for future Moon missions.