The 10-day Artemis II mission ends today, April 10.
The four astronauts onboard the Orion capsule are scheduled to splash down off the coast of California shortly after 8 p.m. EDT.
➤ When does Artemis II crew return to Earth? See timeline, photos
Your time is valuable so here’s a very fast look at what’s happening today.
When is splashdown for Artemis II?
The Orion capsule is due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere today, April 10, splashing down off the coast of California at 8:07 p.m. EDT.
➤ Artemis II splashdown in California visual guide, what it would look like
Where will Artemis II land?
The four astronauts will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California.
NASA live stream of Artemis II splashdown April 10
Florida Today live stream of Artemis II splashdown April 10
How can I 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 reentry speed estimated at 25,000 mph
When they enter Earth’s atmosphere, the astronauts in the Orion capsule will be going an estimated 25,000 mph. A series of parachutes will deploy to eventually slow them down to 17 mph ahead of the water landing.
A heat shield will protect them from an estimated 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
➤ Artemis II mission by the numbers: How fast, how far, how hot?
The astronauts will experience an estimated 3.9 Gs.
NASA will lose communication during re-entry
NASA will lose contact with the astronauts for about si xminutes during re-entry.
Artemis II tracker: Follow moon mission with live updates
Follow the final minutes and hours of the Artemis II mission via NASA’s online tracker.
➤ Download the app here: Apple App Store | Google Play
How fast will Artemis II be going at splashdown?
A series of parachutes will decrease the speed experienced during re-entry.
Splashdown speed in the Pacific should be about 17 mph, NASA said.
When will astronauts emerge from capsule after splashdown?
After splashdown, the astronauts should emerge onto a U.S. Navy recovery vessel within about two hours.
Then they’ll be hoisted into a helicopter and taken to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
NASA plans to build moon base
A lunar landing could come in 2028 under Artemis IV.
Under its Artemis campaign, NASA intends to build a moon base.
Meet the Artemis II crew
The four crew members of Artemis II are:
Contributors: Brooke Edwards, FLORIDA TODAY, and Eric Lagatta and Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY Network
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Artemis II splashdown today. What to know in less than 30 seconds
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
