The crew of the Artemis II mission has begun its journey back to Earth after completing a historic flyby of the Moon, with a scheduled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are expected to conclude their 10-day mission following a complex reentry process that will test the Orion spacecraft’s thermal shielding at temperatures reaching 2,760°C. The mission is part of a broader program intended to pave the way for a crewed moon landing in 2028, according to Al Jazeera.
As the splashdown approaches, NASA and the U.S. military are coordinating extensive recovery operations. Lakiesha Hawkins, acting deputy associate administrator of NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, stated that the agency’s primary focus is now on bringing the crew home "safe and sound," according to La Tercera. To ensure this, the U.S. Air Force has readied seven C-17 military aircraft to support the two Navy helicopters tasked with retrieving the astronauts, according to Lili Villarreal, NASA’s landing and recovery director. Officials have established a splashdown target range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,704 kilometers) in the Pacific, while simultaneously preparing contingency plans for off-nominal landing scenarios or adverse weather, La Tercera reported.
The mission achieved a major milestone on April 6, when the Orion spacecraft surpassed the distance record established by Apollo 13 in 1970. At 18:07 (local time), the vessel reached 406,127 kilometers (252,757 miles) from Earth, marking the farthest point any human has traveled in history. During the approach, the crew performed detailed lunar observations, identifying new, bright craters and a "jagged edge" separating the Moon’s illuminated face from its dark side. Additionally, the crew captured a historic "Earthset" photograph—an image of Earth slipping below the lunar horizon from the far side of the Moon—which NASA and the White House shared on social media, according to Al Jazeera.
Operations were not without challenges, however. NASA mission control in Houston directed the crew to cease using the onboard toilet due to persistent mechanical failures. The system, which cost $23 million, suffered from a jammed ventilation fan and suspected frozen urine in the lines. Astronaut Christina Koch also reported an unidentified "smell of a burnt heater" near the hygiene station, though NASA officials stated that data from onboard power and heating systems showed no anomalies.
Navigating the lunar shadow
The mission’s most intense phase occurred when the spacecraft passed behind the Moon, resulting in a planned 40-minute communications blackout. Because the Moon acts as a solid barrier to radio waves, the crew was forced to rely on autonomous navigation systems. Before losing contact, pilot Victor Glover radioed to ground control: "We’ll see you on the other side."
During this period of isolation, the crew observed a total solar eclipse, a phenomenon described by Glover as "unreal" and akin to "science fiction." According to Al Jazeera, the White House released a NASA image of the eclipse, calling it "a view few in human history have ever witnessed." Upon emerging from the lunar shadow, the crew reported observing a vast, dark cosmic background that contrasted sharply with the Earth, an image that NASA officials noted has provided both scientific data and philosophical perspective.
The return sequence will involve a "free return trajectory," utilizing lunar gravity to propel the capsule toward Earth. After the European service module separates, the Orion capsule will enter the atmosphere at approximately 40,000 km/h. Following the deployment of parachutes, the U.S. Navy will lead the recovery efforts in the Pacific. Once retrieved, the crew will undergo immediate medical evaluations to measure their physical adaptation to gravitational changes, data which will be used to prepare for future missions to Mars.
