What Time Is Artemis 2 Splashdown: NASA Sets Friday Return Off San Diego
What time is artemis 2 splashdown has become the question as the Artemis II crew closes in on Earth and prepares for a high-risk return on Friday, April 10, off the coast of San Diego. NASA says re-entry and splashdown are set for about 8: 07 p. m. ET, with live coverage beginning at 6: 30 p. m. ET. The crew is now in the final stretch after a historic trip around the moon that has drawn global attention.
Final Hours Before Re-Entry
On their last full day in space, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen spent Thursday preparing Orion for return and reviewing splashdown procedures. The spacecraft was approaching Earth at 147, 337 miles, while the crew also handled stowing equipment, securing cargo, and checking weather briefing updates and recovery force status.
The timeline for the return is tightly set. Orion’s thrusters are scheduled to fire at 9: 53 p. m. ET for a return trajectory correction burn, while a second final adjustment is planned at 7: 37 p. m. ET before the capsule begins its descent sequence.
What Time Is Artemis 2 Splashdown?
What time is artemis 2 splashdown matters because the sequence is fast and highly choreographed once Orion nears the atmosphere. NASA’s plan calls for service module separation around 7: 33 p. m. ET, a communications blackout at 7: 53 p. m. ET, drogue parachute deployment around 8: 03 p. m. ET, and main parachutes opening around 8: 04 p. m. ET before splashdown at about 8: 07 p. m. ET.
The agency says the landing profile could reach up to 3. 9 Gs, and the capsule is expected to hit maximum velocity of about 23, 864 mph just before entry interface. After splashdown, the crew is expected to be extracted within two hours and flown to the USS John P. Murtha.
Reactions From The Crew
As the spacecraft drew closer to home, the astronauts reflected on the experience with a mix of awe and focus. Victor Glover said, “We have to get back. There’s so much data that you’ve seen already, but all the good stuff is coming back with us. There are so many more pictures, so many more stories. ” He also said “riding a fireball through the atmosphere is profound as well. ”
Reid Wiseman called the time behind the moon “surreal, ” saying the crew had a great deal for their brains to process. NASA ground teams, meanwhile, are watching the heat shield closely after the only other Orion test flight to the moon in 2022 suffered more damage than expected during re-entry.
Recovery Teams Are Already In Position
The USS John P. Murtha was already at sea, with military aircraft and helicopters poised to support the recovery operation. NASA and the Defense Department are working together on a lunar crew re-entry for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.
That partnership underscores how closely watched this landing is, especially with the capsule returning from a deep-space mission at extreme speed. The crew will undergo post-mission medical evaluations before heading to Johnson Space Center in Houston.
What Comes Next
For now, the biggest answer is simple: what time is artemis 2 splashdown is set for about 8: 07 p. m. ET on Friday, April 10, off the coast of San Diego. NASA says mission coverage begins at 6: 30 p. m. ET and will follow the final descent, parachute sequence, and recovery operations as the crew comes home.
