tech

April 11, 2026

Here's what to expect from the fiery, 14-minute return of Artemis II

Let’s not beat around the bush—we have to hit that angle correctly.

Here's what to expect from the fiery, 14-minute return of Artemis II

TL;DR

  • Artemis II mission is scheduled to return on Friday evening.
  • Splashdown is predicted to occur at 8:07 pm ET (00:07 UTC Saturday) off the coast of Southern California.
  • The Crew Module will separate from the Service Module 44 minutes before splashdown.
  • The spacecraft will encounter Earth's atmosphere at nearly 24,000 mph, with external temperatures approaching 3,000° F.
  • A six-minute communication blackout is expected during reentry due to plasma engulfment.
  • The heat shield's performance is a key concern following anomalies during the Artemis I mission; NASA has modified the entry profile to reduce heat load.
  • A series of parachutes, including drogue and main chutes, will deploy to slow the spacecraft for splashdown.
  • Recovery crews from the USS John P. Murtha will be on-site to retrieve the astronauts.

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