In a matter of hours, the Artemis II astronauts will make a highly anticipated homecoming after becoming the first humans to fly on a moon mission in more than 50 years.
The crew has already flown farther in space than any humans ever have, reaching more than a quarter-million miles from Earth while encountering sights of the moon’s far side never seen in person.
Now, the reentry into Earth’s atmosphere and the impending splashdown off the coast of California is perhaps the most dangerous leg of the 10-day mission. Not only will the astronauts be relying on a heat shield to protect them from a blazing hot upper atmosphere, but they’ll be rocketing at dizzying speeds of 25,000 mph before parachutes deploy to slow them down.
As it has throughout the trailblazing mission, the world will no doubt be watching the perilous return of the Artemis II crew. Don’t miss a moment of it as the historic mission that set the stage for a potential 2028 moon landing comes to an end.
Here’s everything to know about how you can follow and watch the Artemis II water landing today (April 10.)
What time is the Artemis II splashdown today?
The Orion capsule is due Friday, April 10, to reenter Earth’s atmosphere to make a water landing around 5:07 p.m. PT in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California.
Countdown clock for Artemis II landing near California
How to watch NASA coverage of Artemis II return, landing
NASA’s coverage of the Artemis II return and splashdown will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET on YouTube and the space agency’s streaming service, NASA+.
Live stream: Watch NASA’s Artemis II moon mission
More ways to watch Artemis II splashdown April 10
According to NASA, you can also watch live streams not only on most major TV networks, but also on:
Watch NASA+ with Amazon Prime Video
Artemis II tracker. Follow moon mission location
Want to follow the astronauts along the Artemis II lunar journey? NASA has an Artemis II tracker available online and on its mobile app that allows users to see where Orion is, how fast it’s traveling and how far the spacecraft is from both the Earth and the moon.
The mobile version for smartphones even includes an augmented reality feature that allows users to move their phones to see where Orion is relative to Earth.
➤ Download the app here: Apple App Store | Google Play
The tracker, officially referred to as the “Artemis Real-time Orbit Website” (AROW), uses data collected in real time by sensors on the Orion spacecraft sent to the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. That information will be constantly updated beginning about one minute after liftoff until Orion begins its re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere about 10 days later.
When does Artemis II return to Earth? Splashdown, reentry time
The Artemis II mission is on the cusp of coming to an end as the astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft get closer and closer to Earth.
The impending landing would come about nine days after launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and about four days after a trailblazing flyby of the moon. On April 6, the astronauts flew farther from Earth than anyone in human history while seeing sights of the moon’s far side never seen in person from no closer than 4,067 miles above the surface.
Amid the journey back to Earth, the Orion spacecraft used our planet’s gravity to naturally “slingshot,” or pull the vehicle back home, negating the need for propulsion or much fuel.
During the reentry and landing leg of the journey, the astronauts aboard Orion will blaze at about 25,000 mph through Earth’s atmosphere, enduring temperatures reaching about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The vehicle will ultimately deploy parachutes to make a water landing on the West Coast, where recovery teams will airlift the astronauts to a U.S. Navy vessel and transport them to shore.
Ultimately, the astronauts will board an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will be reunited with their families.
Who are the astronauts on the Artemis II mission?
Here’s a look at the four crew members of the Artemis II mission:
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What time is Artemis II splashdown today? How to watch in California
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
