Post Content Earth seen through the Orion spacecraft window as an Artemis II crew member looks on during the return journey. (Image: Nasa)
The crew of Nasa’s Artemis II mission is set to return to Earth on Friday, April 10, marking the end of a historic journey around the Moon. The return will include a dramatic “fireball” re-entry, as the spacecraft speeds through Earth’s atmosphere before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
When is the Artemis II splashdown, and where can you stream it live?
The splashdown is scheduled for 8.07 pm ET on April 10 (5.07 am IST on April 11). The landing is expected to take place off the coast of San Diego, where recovery teams are already preparing for the crew’s arrival.
On board the Orion spacecraft are Nasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
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The return and splashdown will be streamed live across multiple platforms. Viewers can watch it on the space agency’s official website, its streaming platform, Nasa+, and YouTube.
The splashdown will also be streamed on Netflix as part of a collaboration with NASA+. For Indian viewers, the Netflix livestream begins at 4 am IST on April 11.
A high-speed, high-heat return
As Orion heads back, it will separate from its service module at an altitude of about 122 kilometres above Earth. The spacecraft will then begin its rapid descent, reaching speeds of up to 40,000 km/h.
At the point of entry, there will be intense compression of air in front of the capsule, resulting in temperatures reaching as high as 2,700 degrees centigrade. Plasma will develop around the spacecraft during this process, preventing any communication with mission control for some time.
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As soon as the craft slows down, a number of parachutes will be deployed in stages. Two drogue parachutes will be used to slow down the spacecraft first, followed by two pilot parachutes and three primary parachutes.
Final preparations by the crew
As the last day approaches, the crew’s main concern is preparing for re-entry. This will involve procedures for checking everything that needs to be done for re-entry and making sure everything is secured inside.
Also Read | Artemis II captures historic ‘Earthset’ as Earth slips behind Moon
Re-entry is one of the most dangerous phases of any spaceflight. The spacecraft’s heat shield will play a critical part in saving the crew.
The Artemis II liftoff took place on April 2, 2026, at 6.24 pm EDT ( 3.54 IST the next day) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This is the first crewed mission after the Apollo Era, which took place nearly 50 years ago.
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Artemis II was a 10-mission around-the-moon mission during which, after takeoff, the astronauts conducted a lunar flyby, aimed at testing systems for future lunar exploration and paving the way for eventual human missions to Mars.
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