Summary
The Artemis crew is scheduled to splash down near San Diego after completing their mission orbiting the Moon. The splashdown sequence will take about 42 minutes, and involves the Orion spacecraft's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, which is the most hazardous part of the mission. This mission prepares for potential lunar landings by 2028, but no Moon landing will occur this time.
Key Facts
- The Artemis mission involves four astronauts returning from a trip around the Moon.
- The splashdown will happen off the coast of San Diego.
- The splashdown is scheduled for Friday at 20:07 Eastern US time.
- The splashdown sequence, starting with a module separation, takes 42 minutes.
- Re-entry poses the greatest risk due to extreme temperatures faced by the spacecraft.
- Nasa plans a Moon landing by 2028, although this mission does not include one.
- The mission helps prepare for future lunar landings by testing various processes.
- The spacecraft must endure temperatures of nearly 2,760 degrees Celsius during re-entry.
