Summary
NASA's Artemis II mission is about to complete with the Orion spacecraft returning to Earth and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. This stage tests essential systems for future moon landings and involves retrieving the crew safely.
Key Facts
- Artemis II's Orion spacecraft is returning to Earth on April 11 at around 00:07 GMT.
- The splashdown will occur in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.
- A recovery team will pick up the crew using helicopters and the USS John P Murtha ship.
- Weather conditions need to meet specific criteria for a safe recovery.
- This mission marks the first moon mission recovery by NASA since Apollo 17 in 1972.
- The Orion capsule will re-enter Earth's atmosphere at high speed, slowing rapidly upon re-entry.
- The spacecraft will use sequential parachutes to slow down before landing in the ocean.
