Artemis II astronauts safely splash down off San Diego coast after historic moon mission
The Artemis II crew slammed into the atmosphere at more than 30 times the speed of sound, creating a fireball half as hot as the surface of the sun, before splashing down safely on our home planet.
Read MoreWatch: Artemis II capsule reenters Earth’s atmosphere, begins communication blackout period
The Orion capsule reentered Earth’s atmosphere on Friday, which led to a planned 6-minute blackout period.
Read MoreWATCH LIVE: Artemis II astronauts return to Earth
The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission are about to plunge through the atmosphere toward Earth, after a successful visit to the moon.
Read MoreHow to watch the Artemis II astronauts return to Earth
The Orion capsule, carrying Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, is expected to land back to Earth after a nine-day mission that set a record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from our planet. After making a high-speed re-entry through the atmosphere,…
Read MoreDid you feel it? As Artemis II nears reentry, scientists want to know how far the sonic boom travels
Southern Californians might hear a sonic boom as NASA’s Artemis II moon mission reenters the atmosphere off the coast of San Diego Friday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Read MoreHow will NASA get the Artemis II crew safely back on Earth? Here’s the science behind splashdown
While splashdown can be harrowing – the spacecraft will hurdle through the atmosphere faster than the speed of sound and reach temperatures in the thousands of degrees – NASA has been doing it for decades.
Read MoreArtemis II returning to Earth for splashdown to end historic moon mission
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts are set to return to Earth with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean after making a high-speed reentry through the atmosphere.
Read MoreNASA crew on any concerns about Artemis II reentry: “We’ve done our homework”
The Artemis II crew is set to splash down on Friday, plunging through the atmosphere at temperatures half as hot as the sun’s surface.
Read MoreWATCH LIVE: Artemis II crew splashes down on Earth after historic trip around the moon
Friday’s reentry and Pacific splashdown off the coast of San Diego is as dynamic and dangerous as liftoff. Their Orion capsule will come screaming back, hitting the atmosphere at a predicted 34,965 feet per second.
Read MoreFor Artemis II, Returning to Earth May Be the Most Dangerous Part of the Mission
After a successful flight around the moon, the astronauts are relying on a flawed heat shield to protect them as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere.
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