The Artemis II mission astronauts have crossed the halfway mark between the Moon and Earth, with their capsule set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean after a fiery descent lasting about 15 minutes around 8.07pm ET today.
NASA expressed “high confidence” in the Artemis II crew spacecraft’s heat shield ahead of Friday’s historic return.
The shield is a critical part of the Orion capsule, protecting the crew from exposure to lethal temperatures - reaching up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit - during their high-speed descent, which is expected to last less than 15 seconds.
“It’s 13 minutes of things that have to go right,” Jeff Radigan, NASA’s Artemis II flight director, said yesterday.
There were problems with the heat shield on the first Artemis flight, which had no human passengers. Gases that were generated inside the shield’s outer material were not able to vent as expected, causing cracks.
Since then, the shield has undergone extensive testing and Amit Kshatriya, the space agency’s associate administrator, says his confidence in the tech is backed up by engineering and flight data.
The astronauts, including NASA’s Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen were said to be in “high spirits” as they started their journey to Earth following a record-breaking slingshot around the Moon.
Read MoreI’m a hypersonics expert. Here’s the extreme conditions Artemis II crew will endure upon re-entry
Mark Carney cracks maple syrup joke to Artemis II crew
Nasa team focused on getting Moon mission astronauts back to Earth safely
NASA explains what the fireball seen over parts of the northeast was
Key Points
- Artemis crew is half way back home: Nasa
- NASA Artemis II member Reid Wiseman provides an update
- How NASA monitors space weather in real time
- NASA posts stunning shot from Orion spacecraft
- NASA seeing 'small leak' in propulsion system
Nasa shares precise timeline for re-entry
17:09 , Andrew GriffinHere, from Nasa, is the rundown of the timings for the re-entry later. (They’re in eastern time, so add five hours if you’re watching from the UK.)
- 7:33 p.m.: Orion’s crew module will separate from the service module, exposing its heat shield for the spacecraft’s return through Earth’s atmosphere, where it will encounter temperatures of about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 7:37 p.m.: Following separation, Orion will perform an 18 second crew module raise burn beginning to set the proper entry angle and align the heat shield for atmospheric interface.
- 7:53 p.m.: When Orion reaches 400,000 feet above Earth’s surface while traveling nearly 35 times the speed of sound. The crew is expected to experience up to 3.9 Gs in the planned entry profile. This moment marks the spacecraft’s first contact with the upper atmosphere and the start of a planned six-minute communications blackout as plasma builds around the capsule.
- 8:03 p.m.: Around 22,000 feet in altitude, the drogue parachutes will deploy, slowing and stabilizing the capsule as Orion nears splashdown.
- 8:04 p.m.: At around 6,000 feet, the drogues will release, and the three main parachutes will deploy, reducing Orion’s speed to less than 136 mph.
- 8:07 p.m.: Slowing to 20 mph, Orion will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, completing the Artemis II crew’s return to Earth and a 694,481-mile journey.
- From there, teams from NASA and the U.S. military will extract the crew from Orion and fly them via helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha.
- Within two hours after splashdown, the crew will be extracted from Orion and flown to the USS Murtha. Recovery teams will retrieve the crew, assist them onto an inflatable raft, and then use helicopters to deliver them to the ship. Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post‑mission medical evaluations before returning to shore where awaiting aircraft will take them to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Astronauts wake up to final tune on their last day in space
17:02 , Andrew GriffinAs with every morning – or at least the end of every sleep, since morning is perhaps something of a funny concept in space – the astronauts have been awoken with a tune from Nasa’s official playlist.
Wake up—it's Artemis II's last day in space!
— NASA (@NASA) April 10, 2026
As the crew prepares to splash down in the Pacific Ocean this evening, they started their day with "Run To The Water" by Live, their wake-up song played by Mission Control. pic.twitter.com/AKGFIcB05m
Astronauts will endure 3000C heat on journey back to Earth
14:48 , Andrew GriffinHere, experts lay out just how intense and extreme the Artemis II crew’s re-entry will be.
How the Artemis II crew will survive 3,000C heat on their reentry to earth
When and where will astronauts splash down?
14:47 , Andrew GriffinHere’s a full preview of the main event of today – the astronauts’ re-entry and splash down.
Artemis II splashdown: When and where astronauts will land in moon mission finale
Astronaut explains how re-entry is like 'jumping through a ring of fire'
14:38 , Andrew GriffinComing back down is hot. And astronauts are essentially racing that process. Here, Chris Hadfield – a Canadian astronaut who has flown a number of space missions – explains how that feels on the inside.
Yes - there's nowhere for the heat to go. So we coldsoak the vehicle before reentry and wear temp-controlled spacesuits. That gives us lots of time before it gets too hot inside - by then we're through and down into the cool upper atmosphere. Like jumping through a ring of fire.
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) April 10, 2026
What will be the most dangerous moment of Artemis II's return to Earth?
14:11 , Harriette BoucherAs the Artemis astronauts make their way back to earth, a planetary entry experts says this critical phase of the journey will be one of the most dangerous.
Dr Chris James, who specialises in hypersonic aerothermodynamics at the University of Queensland, said: “The most dangerous moment will be the high-speed, hypersonic re-entry that occurs as the craft is travelling through the upper atmosphere. This is the riskiest point for several reasons.
“Firstly, it’s when the heating and the forces hitting the craft itself are at their maximum, due to aerodynamic drag slowing the craft from hypersonic speeds of around 11 km per second (greater than Mach 30!).
“Secondly, this is also a scary moment because the gas surrounding the craft is heated up so much that it becomes an electrically conductive plasma – which blocks communication between the spacecraft and the outside world. This means the astronauts are unable to talk to anybody back on Earth for that short period of time.”
When the astronauts first reach earth’s atmosphere, they will be experiencing fairly high g-forces, and get “the hell shaken out of them”, he said.
He believes one of the scariest parts will be the communications blackout blocking radio communications, which means they will be completely alone during the harshest parts of the trajectory.
Why did NASA send 'organ chips' of the Artemis astronauts into space?
13:41 , Harriette BoucherAlong with four astronauts, NASA also sent chips of bone marrow grown from the crew’s own cells to space.
Researchers put the USB-sized “organ chips” aboard the Orion spacecraft, as part of a science experiment they hope will help reveal how different space stressors affect tissue before sending the first humans to mars.
The investigation will use the devices to study the effects of increased radiation and microgravity on human health.
Lisa Carnell, from NASA’s biological and physical sciences division, said: “For NASA, organ chips could provide vital data for protecting astronaut health on deep space missions.”
The chips, which were developed at Harvard, contain tiny channels lined with living cells that replicate the function of human bone marrow.
A matching set of these chips has stayed on Earth to give researchers a controlled comparison.
Artemis astronaut says she has fulfilled her childhood dream
13:17 , Harriette BoucherAstronaut Christina Koch said she has fulfilled her childhood dream, as she reflects on how she ended up in space.
“I recently found some photos of myself on a family vacation at Kennedy Space Centre, and were we posing with in front of the Saturn V Rocket.
“If I could have told that little girl who took home a picture of Earthrise, and hung it in her room, that she would eventually launch from that same place, to see that same view, I'm pretty sure she would not believe it.
“But even though I still can't believe it, and she certainly wouldn't believe it, she chased that dream, and it ended up happening.
“It's such an honour to hear that we've inspire, that's truly one of the top things that we ever wanted to do.”
Watch: Artemis II crew wake up to 'Lonesome Drifter'
12:30 , Daniel KeaneArtemis astronauts hurtle home from moon
11:43 , Vishwam SankaranThe four Artemis II astronauts, returning from the world's first crewed moon voyage in over half a century, hurtled back toward Earth on Friday aboard their gumdrop-shaped Orion spacecraft, headed for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California.
The finale to NASA's celebrated 10-day mission was expected to begin with separation of Orion's crew capsule from its service module.
This will be followed by a fiery re-entry through Earth's atmosphere and a six-minute radio blackout before the capsule parachutes into the sea.
If all goes well, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will end up bobbing safely in the ocean aboard their Orion capsule, dubbed Integrity, shortly after 0000 GMT off the coast of San Diego.
Nasa shares Artemis crew's 'Moon joy' video
09:30 , Vishwam SankaranMoon joy [noun]
— NASA (@NASA) April 10, 2026
the feeling of intense happiness and excitement that only comes from a mission to the Moon
The Artemis II crew bring us endless Moon joy. pic.twitter.com/7vrS1lLd0C
Capsule heat shield in focus as Nasa prepares for re-entry
09:00 , Vishwam SankaranThe Orion capsule's exterior could reach temperatures of over 2,760C as it plummets through the Earth's atmosphere during the re-entry sequence.
Experts are calling this the riskiest part of the mission, partly due to what was found from the previous Artemis I test mission to the Moon, in which the uncrewed capsule returned with concerning pockmarks and cracking.
The same heat shield has been used in Artemis II, and if it becomes damaged in a particular way, it could be catastrophic.
When Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover was asked what he looked forward to, he said it was the splashdown.
“I’ll be honest and say, I’ve actually been thinking about entry since April 3, 2023, when we got assigned to this mission,” Glover said.
NASA mission managers say they understand the heat shield’s limitations and how to protect the crew with a different trajectory for splashdown compared to the Artemis I mission.
The 2022 test flight used a “skip” reentry in which the capsule briefly plunged into the atmosphere before raising its altitude again for a second plunge.
But the Artemis II mission will attempt a “loft" re-entry to create more favourable heating conditions, according to NASA Flight DirectorRick Henfling.
This is expected to limit, but not eliminate the cracking on the heat shield observed in the uncrewed mission.
NASA expects that even if the heat shield does not perform optimally, astronauts will get home safe.
“There’s no doubt about it: This is not the heat shield that NASA would want to give its astronauts," former NASA astronaut Danny Olivas told CNN earlier this year.
How crew will be recovered after splashdown
08:30 , Vishwam SankaranAbout two hours after the Orion capsule's splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the San Diego coast, the Artemis II mission astronauts will be extracted from the spacecraft and flown on a helicopter to the US Navy dock ship USS John P. Murtha.
Once aboard the ship, astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – will undergo medical evaluations before returning to shore.
They will then board an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Spacecraft will enter six minutes communications blackout
08:00 , Vishwam SankaranAs the Orion spacecraft begins descending through the Earth's atmosphere from about 400,000 feet, it will enter a planned six‑minute communications blackout beginning at around 7.53pm ET.
This is due to plasma forming around the capsule during peak heating that could raise temperatures to around 2,760C.
After emerging from the blackout, Orion will jettison its forward bay cover and begin deploying its parachutes one by one for splashdown off the coast of San Diego.
Second spacecraft return correction burn complete
07:40 , Vishwam SankaranThe Artemis II Orion spacecraft ignited its thrusters for about 9 seconds earlier today to push the crew toward Earth.
Ahead of this manoeuvre, Nasa temporarily lost signal from the spacecraft, but two-way communications were soon re-established.
Flight controllers have resumed preparing for the upcoming burn with the crew shortly after.
The next fuel burn is scheduled for 1.53 pm ET ahead of re-entry procedures.
Have to hit re-entry angle correctly: Artemis flight director
06:50 , Vishwam SankaranBefore the Artemis II mission Orion capsule begins its fiery descent to Earth, NASA hopes that it gets the re-entry angle right.
During re-entry, the crew-carrying capsule is expected to reach an estimated maximum velocity of nearly 24,000 mph, with astronauts likely to experience G forces equivalent to around 3.9 times the pull of Earth's gravity.
The heat shield part of the Orion capsule has come under the scanner since an investigation found that part of the material used in the previous uncrewed Artemis I mission had cracked during atmospheric re-entry.
The Artemis I re-entry had caused some of its capsule's "charred material to break off in several locations", NASA found.
Since the Artemis II mission's capsule had already been built and assembled when NASA learned of the damage sustained during Artemis I, it came up with a modified path for the mission's re-entry to minimise risk to the astronauts, instead of entirely redoing the heat shield.
But NASA has expressed “high confidence” in the Artemis II spacecraft’s heat shield.
“Let’s not beat around the bush...We have to hit that angle correctly. Otherwise, we’re not going to have a successful re-entry," Artemis II flight director Jeff Radigan said.
Parachute deploying sequence during splashdown
06:20 , Vishwam Sankaran Critical events during splashdown
05:50 , Vishwam SankaranNASA teams on the ground are completing their final preparations for Orion’s re-entry and splashdown at around 8.07pm ET today off the coast of San Diego.
About 42 minutes before splashdown, the crew module and service module will begin separation.
Shortly after this, the crew module will begin an altitude correction burn at around 7.37 pm ET, and begin entering Earth's atmosphere.
The parachutes begin deploying one after another, starting from an altitude of about 35,000 ft above Earth, culminating in splashdown.
After this, the main parachute is cut, and the Orion capsule's upright positioning system deploys, followed by the recovery of astronauts.
What to expect during Orion capsule's '13 minutes' of fiery plunge
05:21 , Vishwam SankaranThe Orion capsule is set to plummet through the atmosphere at a speed of about 25,000 miles per hour later today.
During these "13 minutes" of fiery plunge, the heat shield will encounter temperatures of more than 1,600C as the spacecraft decelerates rapidly.
Then the Orion will deploy 11 parachutes in succession to bring the capsule to a gentle 25mph splashdown off the coast of San Diego in California.
Focus will be on the capsule's heat shield as it descends as NASA had already built and assembled it before it learned of the damage sustained to this part during the previous uncrewed Artemis I mission.
Instead of redoing the heat shield,NASA modified the path for the capsule’s re-entry to minimise risk to the astronauts.
The Orion spacecraft’s thrusters ignited for the second return trajectory correction burn to fine‑tune the spacecraft’s path toward Earth.
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 10, 2026
Splashdown of Artemis II is expected around 8:07pm ET on Friday, April 10 (0007 UTC on Saturday, April 11), off the coast of San Diego. pic.twitter.com/VuRw7IVqpP
However, the American space agency said it has “high confidence” in the spacecraft’s heat shield on the modified path.
“If we stick to the new re-entry path that NASA has planned, then this heat shield will be safe to fly,” NASA chief Jared Isaacman said in July.
In case you missed it: NASA gives its final Artemis mission status briefing
05:00 , Julia MustoLIVE: Agency leaders answer media questions and provide updates on our Artemis II mission around the Moon. https://t.co/8SWdRAQlJF
— NASA (@NASA) April 9, 2026
NASA Artemis II member Reid Wiseman provides an update
04:40 , Julia MustoOut here playing with Earth-Moon gravity like it is a toy and seeing things that are beautiful beyond comprehension. pic.twitter.com/Q5JUn68j8L
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) April 9, 2026
Artemis crew is half way back home: Nasa
04:18 , Vishwam SankaranThe Artemis II astronauts have hit the the "halfway" mark between the Moon and the Earth, Nasa announced in a post on X early morning today.
Their Orion capsule is currently travelling at about 3,000 miles per hour through space and is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean around 8.07pm ET today, off the coast of San Diego.
They're halfway home.
— NASA (@NASA) April 10, 2026
The Artemis II astronauts have hit the "halfway" mark between the Moon and the Earth. They will splash down in the Pacific Ocean around 8:07 pm ET on Friday, April 10 (0007 UTC on Saturday, April 11), off the coast of San Diego. pic.twitter.com/CQmOuDTVGh
The fiery splashdown as they enter the Earth's atmosphere is expected to last less than 15 minutes.
“It’s 13 minutes of things that have to go right,” Jeff Radigan, NASA’s Artemis II flight director, said yesterday at a press briefing.
Check out these cool pictures of the Artemis II astronauts on the Orion spacecraft
04:00 , Julia Musto How NASA monitors space weather in real time
03:45 , Julia MustoWorkin’ 9 to 5... and 5 to 1… and 1 to 9.
— NASA Goddard (@NASAGoddard) April 9, 2026
Our Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office is providing 24/7 support for Artemis II — monitoring the Sun around the clock and translating space weather conditions into real-time decisions to protect the crew.https://t.co/2KDp7sJFnq pic.twitter.com/U6B3D2Dui3
How the Artemis II astronauts will get home
01:45 , Julia MustoOur Artemis II astronauts are headed back to Earth after their test flight around the Moon.
— NASA (@NASA) April 9, 2026
Listen to the latest episode of our Curious Universe podcast to learn how we'll bring the crew home: https://t.co/5c0wToicQW pic.twitter.com/OKlTEeLAS1
Check out these cool pictures of the moon from the Artemis II mission
Thursday 9 April 2026 23:45 , Julia Musto The song that Artemis II started their day with
Thursday 9 April 2026 23:32 , Julia MustoCharlie Crockett's "Lonesome Drifter" marks the beginning of flight day 9 for the Artemis II astronauts.
— NASA (@NASA) April 9, 2026
Enjoy the Moon tunes on our Wake-Up Songs Spotify playlist: https://t.co/2fcXhC5iEN pic.twitter.com/oRM3I9oGyq
NASA posts stunning shot from Orion spacecraft
Thursday 9 April 2026 23:02 , Julia Musto Canadian Artemis II crew member Jeremy Hansen discusses science on Orion
Thursday 9 April 2026 22:34 , Julia Musto"We're working hard to keep the cells in our bodies alive. That little box is doing the same."
— NASA Science (@NASAScience_) April 9, 2026
Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen discusses the AVATAR investigation, which uses personalized organ chips to study deep space's effects on bone marrow cells. Learn more:… pic.twitter.com/17p90fCkxa
NASA seeing 'small leak' in propulsion system
Thursday 9 April 2026 22:04 , Julia MustoThere is a small leak in the Artemis II propulsion system, Jeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, told reporters on Thursday.
The two-part system uses fuel and an oxidizer: a substance that causes another substance to burn.
“We are seeing what is a small leak in our pressure system,” he said, adding that the “leak is internal to the system, across some of our valves.”
The crew still needs to characterize the leak to see what, if any, modifications they might need to make in the future.
'We are good to go'
Thursday 9 April 2026 21:44 , Julia Musto“We are good to go,” Branelle Rodriguez, the Artemis II Orion vehicle manager, told reporters on Thursday.
She said that the Orion spacecraft remains “healthy.”
“Everything looks really, really well to continue on,” added Rodriguez.
A view from the Artemis II crew shows stunning Earthshine
Thursday 9 April 2026 21:40 , Julia MustoThe Moon and light from at least five objects in our solar system appear in this view from the @NASAArtemis II crew: Saturn, Mars, and Mercury, along with reflected sunlight from Earth and the glow of the Sun's corona and/or zodiacal light scattered by interplanetary dust. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/vxp3Waipn6
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) April 9, 2026
NASA shares Artemis II return times
Thursday 9 April 2026 21:06 , Julia MustoJeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, announced several times of note ahead of the Orion crew’s splashdown.
The crew module and service module will separate at 6:33 p.m. local CT. There will be a communications blackout at 6:53 before parachutes deploy at 7:03 p.m.
Splashdown is planned for 7:07 p.m.
Every system 'depends on the final minutes of flight'
Thursday 9 April 2026 20:53 , Julia Musto“Every system we’ve demonstrated over the past nine days, life support, navigation, propulsion, communications, all of it depends on the final minutes of flight,” Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, said Thursday afternoon.
“We have high confidence in the heat shield and the parachutes and the recovery systems we’ve put together. The engineering supports it, the Artemis I flight data supports it, all of our ground tests support it, our analysis supports it,” he continued, “ and tomorrow, the crew’s going to put their lives behind that confidence.”
“The crew has done their part. Now we have to do our’s,” said Kshatriya.
NASA holds press briefing hours before planned Artemis II return
Thursday 9 April 2026 20:46 , Julia Musto“Tomorrow evening ... the crew of Artemis II will come home,” Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, told reporters at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
He said NASA had high confidence in the heat shield, which had some problems in the first phase of the Artemis program in 2022.
Artemis crew is 'locked in'
Thursday 9 April 2026 16:11 , Andrew GriffinNasa has shared these images of the astronauts at work on board the spacecraft.
Artemis II is locked in 🔒
— NASA (@NASA) April 9, 2026
As they flew around the Moon, the Artemis II crew took turns capturing science data and taking photos out of the Orion spacecraft window to share with their team back on Earth. pic.twitter.com/7Li6XTn9B0
Heat shield worries ahead of re-entry
Thursday 9 April 2026 16:10 , Andrew GriffinRe-entry (or landing generally, including on other planets) is one of the most dangerous parts of space machines. This time around the threat is even bigger.
As they plunge through the atmosphere, the Artemis II astronauts will be relying on their heat shield to protect them from the vast temperatures generated as they blaze through the atmosphere. But that heat shield has already had troubles: when the uncrewed Artemis I test mission came back, the heat shield didn’t work properly, and it has not been meaningfully changed since.
The mission has been altered from that one, so that the crew will fall to Earth more quickly. That means they will spend less time in the hot part of the descent, though it comes with its own drawbacks.
Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman has indicated that this is a particularly dangerous part of the mission. In part because there is nothing else the crew can do as they fall.
"In terms of what keeps me up at night, my blood pressure will be elevated until they're under parachutes in the water off the West Coast,” he said. “There's no plan B there.
“That is the thermal protection system. The heat shield has to work."
Astronauts are 'packing up' ready for home
Thursday 9 April 2026 15:05 , Andrew GriffinYesterday was a big day. Astronauts undertook a range of tasks including exercise and a bit of manual piloting of the spacecraft. Now they’re packing up ready for home, Nasa says.
There's a lot to process on Day 8 of the @NASAArtemis II mission. With Earth in view from Orion's windows, the astronauts are packing up and reflecting on their lunar journey. pic.twitter.com/iTFuMFxJPX
— NASA (@NASA) April 9, 2026
'The most ominous thing I have ever loved'
Thursday 9 April 2026 10:02 , Andrew GriffinMission specialist Christina Koch has shared pictures from her trip around the Moon – and a bit of a poetry with it.
Here’s what Nasa crew’s fitness regimen looks like
Thursday 9 April 2026 08:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarNasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen completed their daily flywheel workout, using the compact device for both cardio and strength training to counter the effects of microgravity.
Nasa had said earlier that each astronaut would dedicate 30 minutes daily to exercise, “minimising the muscle and bone loss that occurs without gravity”.
“Orion is equipped with a flywheel, a small device installed directly below the side hatch used to enter and exit Orion and will conveniently be used as a step when the crew get inside Orion on launch day,” the agency said.
“The flywheel is a simple cable-based device for aerobic exercises like rowing and resistance workouts like squats and deadlifts. It works like a yo-yo, giving astronauts as much load as they put into it, maxing out at 400 pounds.”
Nasa crew woke up to ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen and David Bowie
Thursday 9 April 2026 07:40 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity started Flight Day 8 with the song “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie as they continued their return journey to Earth, Nasa said.
At wake-up, the spacecraft was about 200,278 miles from Earth and 83,549 miles from the Moon.
The Artemis II crew and flight control teams are now preparing Orion for re-entry and splashdown on Friday.
Artemis II crew preparing Orion for Earth re-entry
Thursday 9 April 2026 07:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Artemis II crew and flight control teams are preparing the Orion spacecraft for splashdown back on Earth by securing equipment, installing seats, and reviewing entry procedures, Nasa said.
“Looking ahead to Thursday, the crew and flight control teams will begin preparing the cabin and studying entry procedures ahead of splashdown. The crew will start stowing equipment and installing their seats to ensure all items are secured for re-entry.
“To prepare the cabin for entry, the teams opted to forego the originally planned shielding deployment demonstration,” the space agency said.
Nasa is targeting a splashdown off the coast of San Diego at 8.07pm ET on Friday.
Nasa team focused on getting Moon mission astronauts back to Earth safely
Thursday 9 April 2026 06:40 , Maroosha MuzaffarNasa officials are ensuring “they don’t take their eye off the ball” as astronauts near their return to Earth after travelling deeper into space than anyone before.
The Artemis II crew, who successfully completed a test flight around the Moon, are due to splashdown off the coast of San Diego in California on Friday.
A news conference heard scientists were continuing to learn from the epic voyage that would inform future missions.
This included monitoring the impact of the deep space environment on the three Americans and Canadian aboard the Orion module.
The Goonhilly Earth Station, near Helston, in Cornwall, has been helping track the first Moon mission in more than 50 years.
Read more here:
Nasa team focused on getting Moon mission astronauts back to Earth safely
Nasa astronauts hope mission inspires the world to cherish Earth
Thursday 9 April 2026 06:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Nasa astronauts were asked whether they can sense how their mission is being received back on Earth and if it shapes how they share their journey.
The astronaut said they mainly rely on brief family calls for feedback and added that those moments were emotional and meaningful.
“The four of us, we’ve had two opportunities each to have very brief video chats with our families. And I will tell you, first of all, the four of us are now forged in a friendship that is very unique, and we will cherish this, this bond that we share for our lives. And then one of the neatest things being a crewmate on this spacecraft has been is not being in the family conference, but hearing your crewmates giggling and crying and just gasping and listening and loving their families from afar,” Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman said during a broadcast.
But wait, there's more!
— NASA (@NASA) April 8, 2026
These newly released photos show off striking details on the far side of the Moon, like craters of various sizes and basins. See new photos here: https://t.co/yBzg59O7yp pic.twitter.com/fYCAG3kFj6
“Family is so important to all four of us, and that has been amazing. And when I got to talk to my daughters Ellie and Katie for the first time, like I just couldn't even speak, I was just so overjoyed. I was crying. I mean, it's just, it is an amazing experience. But what also came from that is that is really our source of news on planet Earth, and those, those family members, have been our source of how the mission is going,” he added.
“What we really hoped in our soul is that we could, for just a moment, have the world pause and remember that this is a beautiful planet in a very special place in our universe, and we should all cherish what we have, what we have been gifted. And I think for folks that decided to tune in, and it sounds like it was quite a few, this has happened, and for that, we are eternally grateful.”
Artemis II crew describe life inside Orion
Thursday 9 April 2026 05:40 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Artemis II mission crew say that living inside the Orion spacecraft in microgravity makes the capsule feel bigger than it actually is.
Nasa astronaut Christina Koch added that it was still a tight space where crew members were constantly bumping into each other.
“We have loved living in Orion, and in fact, we’ve all said that sometimes you can forget where you really are because.. we’re in this small space that just gives us everything we need,” Koch said.
“Yes, it is bigger in microgravity, and yes, we are bumping into each other 100 per cent of the time.. A phrase that you often hear in the cabin is, ‘don’t move your foot.. I’m just going to reach for something right under it’, or, you know, ‘can I get there?’ And my goal is to get over there.
“And we’re constantly moving around, whether it’s to complete a task, to just eat, you know, to look out the window, to take a picture, everything we do in here is a four-person activity.
“But it's also really fun.”
Artemis II crew describe rare moment they saw the eclipse from the far side of the Moon
Thursday 9 April 2026 05:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Artemis II crew that saw the eclipse near the far side of the Moon described the rare moment during their broadcast today and said that it was the most surprising and powerful moment of the mission.
The astronauts said that even though they had trained for it and seen simulations, the real experience was far more breathtaking than expected.
“The thing that we saw that really surprised me the most is we trained to view the eclipse from the far side of the moon, or after going beyond the far side of the moon. We saw great simulations made by our lunar science team, but when that actually happened, it just blew us all away.
“I mean, you heard the reaction real time, but it was the fact that we trained for it. I don't want to say unhappy about, but launching on April 1 meant the far side wasn't as limited as we were hoping.”
“That thing seemed to be a consolation, and it was one of the greatest gifts of that part of the mission.”
Nasa crew say they see Artemis II mission as a ‘relay race’
Thursday 9 April 2026 04:16 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Artemis II crew said during their broadcast that they see their mission as part of a relay race and that they’re not just focused on their own success, but on improving everything for the next team.
“Part of our ethos as a crew, and our values from the very beginning, were that this is a relay race. In fact, we have batons that we bought to symbolise physically that we plan to hand them to the next crew, and every single thing that we do is with them in mind.”
Nasa astronaut Christina Koch, said: “Oftentimes, it's actually easier in human spaceflight, especially on a first mission, to accept some of the things that aren't working quite right, or the operational workarounds. We have actually been diligent to try to fix everything.
“We’re always thinking from the perspective of: what is the next crew going to think about this? How will this help them to succeed?”
She added: “In the last three years, we’ve really just worked to make sure that they are set up for success. That’s all of the teams, not just the crew, but the flight control teams, the mission engineering rooms, the launch teams – everyone.”
Nasa highlights 'Rise', the mission mascot
Wednesday 8 April 2026 15:19 , Andrew GriffinToday, ‘Rise’, the little mascot of the mission, is taking over Nasa’s social media accounts.
Hi! I’m Rise!
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) April 8, 2026
About a week ago, I launched aboard the Artemis II mission with four of my besties. Since then, I have been serving a very important purpose aboard the Orion spacecraft… I float. (And I look cute.)
Today, I am taking over the Artemis social media accounts! -Rise pic.twitter.com/hdTMeq82PC
You can read more about the mascot here.
Meet ‘Rise’ the official mascot of the Artemis II moon mission
(There’s not all that much going on in the mission today – the astronauts are just making their way home ahead of re-entry in a couple of days.)
Wake up with the Artemis crew
Wednesday 8 April 2026 14:40 , Andrew GriffinEvery morning, the astronauts on board the Artemis II mission are woken up by a new song, chosen and played by Nasa. Now the space agency has shared the playlist of songs that it has picked for them, so you can wake up to them too.
Rise and shine, space fans!
— NASA (@NASA) April 8, 2026
The official Artemis II wake‑up song playlist is here: https://t.co/2fcXhC5iEN
Stay tuned to find out the crew’s picks for the rest of the mission. pic.twitter.com/1UxlQbM0A8
Not just moons
Wednesday 8 April 2026 13:29 , Andrew GriffinThe astronauts on board the Artemis II mission are also getting a stunning, in some ways unprecedented view of the rest of our galaxy too. Nasa has shared one of the photos they took of just that.
Sky full of stars.
— NASA (@NASA) April 8, 2026
Following a successful lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts captured this breathtaking photo of our galaxy, the Milky Way, on April 7, 2026. pic.twitter.com/pzqcLZNB71
