Today is April 9, 2026, and excitement is building as the Artemis II crew approaches the end of their incredible journey. Launched on April 1, 2026, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, this mission marks a significant milestone as it is the first manned mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Over the past ten days, the crew has been orbiting the moon, testing vital systems and hardware that will pave the way for future lunar landings.
The Artemis II mission crew consists of four talented astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. They are currently about 160,000 miles from Earth and 120,000 miles from the moon, making use of Earth’s gravity for a smoother return, minimizing fuel needs and propulsion. The mission’s primary goal is to prepare for the return of astronauts to the moon’s surface, a dream that has been long awaited since the Apollo era.
Countdown to Splashdown
As we look ahead to April 10, 2026, the Orion capsule is scheduled to reenter Earth’s atmosphere, with a splashdown expected around 8:07 p.m. EST in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, California. The day will be packed with pivotal moments, starting with crew sleep at 3:05 a.m. and culminating in a post-splashdown news conference at NASA Johnson Space Center at 10:30 p.m.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the timeline for April 10 (all times in EST):
- 3:05 a.m.: Crew sleep begins
- 11:35 a.m.: Crew wakeup
- 1:50 p.m.: Orion cabin configuration for re-entry begins
- 2:53 p.m.: Return trajectory correction burn
- 6:30 p.m.: NASA+ coverage begins
- 7:33 p.m.: Crew module and service module separation
- 7:37 p.m.: Crew module raise burn
- 7:53 p.m.: Entry interface
- 8:07 p.m.: Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean
- 10:30 p.m.: Post-splashdown news conference
During reentry, the Orion’s service module will separate and burn up, allowing the crew module’s heat shield to take center stage. After splashdown, the crew is expected to exit onto a U.S. Navy recovery vessel within about two hours, ensuring a safe return to solid ground.
Stay Updated on the Mission
For those eager to follow the Artemis II mission in real-time, NASA provides an online tracker. This interactive live map displays the spacecraft’s trajectory, current position, distance to Earth and the moon, orbital speed, and mission elapsed time (MET). You can check it out here. Additionally, the splashdown will be livestreamed on NASA+, the NASA app, and its YouTube channel, so you won’t miss a moment of this historic event.
With Artemis II, NASA is not just looking to the moon; they are laying the groundwork for future exploration and potential colonization. This mission embodies the spirit of adventure and the quest for knowledge that has driven humanity for centuries. To learn more about the Artemis I mission and its achievements, you can find additional details here.
As we count down to splashdown, the world watches with bated breath, eager to witness the return of these brave astronauts and the dawn of a new era in space exploration.