For the first time in over 50 years, the world is tuning in to watch astronauts on an expedition to the moon.
On April 1, the Artemis II crew began its 10-day journey to orbit the moon, launching from Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral.
The mission marked a pivotal moment in space exploration, as the NASA astronauts aboard – Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover, along with the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen – are expected to venture farther into space than anyone in human history.
So when does Artemis II return to Earth? And where will the Orion spacecraft splash down? Here’s what we know.
When does Artemis II return to Earth?
NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to reenter Earth’s atmosphere April 10, according to NASA. However, the location and time of the splashdown “will continue to shift as mission milestones are reached.”
Where will Artemis II splash down?
As of April 6, the Artemis II crew will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, at around 8:07 p.m. ET April 10.
Following splashdown, recovery teams will retrieve the crew using helicopters and deliver them to USS John P. Murtha. Once the astronauts are aboard, they will undergo post-mission medical evaluations before traveling back to shore, where they board an aircraft to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
How long is the Artemis II mission to the moon?
The mission is expected to last about 10 days.
Once the mission is complete, the astronauts will then make a four-day journey back to Earth, using our planet’s gravity to naturally pull Orion back home.
What is the goal of the Artemis II mission?
The goal of NASA’s Artemis campaign is to send astronauts to the surface of the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions ended in 1972, Florida Today reports.
NASA plans to establish a permanent foothold on the lunar south pole, using a series of crewed and uncrewed missions in the years ahead to build a moon base. From there, the first humans could head toward Mars.
The 10-day mission primarily serves as a test flight, with the four-person crew testing systems and hardware ahead of a future moon landing.
Where is Artemis II now? Location tracker
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.
Who are the Artemis II astronauts?
The crew members of Artemis II include NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen.
The mission makes Glover the first Black man to venture within the vicinity of the moon, while Koch will become the first woman and Hansen the first Canadian to do so.
All three Americans are experienced astronauts who have been to space before on ventures to the International Space Station, while Hansen, a veteran aviator, is making his first spaceflight.
Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Jennifer Sangalang and Haadiza Ogwude.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When does the Artemis II come back to Earth?
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
