After traveling hundreds of thousands of miles around the moon, the four astronauts aboard Artemis II are set to make their return to Earth Friday evening, with a high-stakes splashdown marking the final and most dangerous phase of the mission.
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$20K bond set for Splendora High School teacher accused of hoax attack by studentApril 10, 2026 at 11:44 AM Solar array wing-mounted cameras capture close-up images of NASA’s Orion spacecraft during a routine external inspection on the sixth day into the Artemis II mission. At the time this photo was taken at 8:27 a.m. ET, the crew was in a sleep period ahead of beginning their seventh day into the mission.– After traveling hundreds of thousands of miles around the moon, the four astronauts aboard Artemis II are set to make their return to Earth Friday evening, with a high-stakes splashdown marking the final and most dangerous phase of the mission. The spacecraft, Orion, will slam into Earth’s atmosphere at blistering speeds before parachuting into the Pacific Ocean, a process that lasts just minutes but carries the highest risk of the entire journey. Why re-entry is the most dangerous part of Artemis II, and how NASA is trying to make it saferA final trajectory correction burn is scheduled, if needed, to keep the spacecraft on course. The astronauts will also review their reentry checklist to make sure that they are each properly in their space suits, which will help protect them on the potentially bumpy ride down, and clear on their responsibilities during the fall.Orion hits Earth’s upper atmosphere, beginning a roughly 13-minute descent. At this time, the capsule will be traveling at about 24,000 miles per hour.About 7:02 p.m. CT Parachute sequence begins as Orion slows significantly. The spacecraft will plunge 200,000 feet, at which point it will experience temperatures reaching 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit because air molecules ahead of it will compress so violently, according to NASA.Drogue parachutes deploy to stabilize the capsule. The spacecraft will be traveling just under the speed of sound at around 35,000 feet above Earth’s surface.Main parachutes deploy , slowing Orion to about 17 mph. The drogue deployment will occur at around 10 minutes in, bringing Orion from 24,000 feet to 6,800 feet. The pilots will then deploy, followed by the mains, which will guide the spacecraft gently down to the water through its final 5,000 feet at around 17 mph.By about 9:07 p.m. CT Recovery teams are expected to retrieve the astronauts and bring them aboard a U.S. Navy ship for medical checks. Infographic featuring the Artemis II Orion lofted entry sequence. This graphic was presented by Artemis II Flight Director Rick Henfling during the mission status briefing to the media and public on April 8, 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.This marks a major milestone for NASA, as Artemis II is the first crewed mission to travel around the moon since the Apollo era and a key step toward returning humans to the lunar surface.Houston, we have a DEAL! Alloy Personal Training teams up with Houston Life to help YOU save bigParents react after lockdown situation causes panic at Splendora High SchoolWines with these labels are good in your glass but, better for the planet🌱🍷JUDGE NATHAN MILLIRON DOESN’T CALL ATTORNEY WHO EMAILED HIM TO THE BENCHLARGE COURTROOM PRESENCE EXPECTED TO SUPPORT ATTORNEY WHO EMAILED JUDGETexans' E.J. Speed, Toro cheer on students at Parker Elementary School for STAAR testTeacher accused of tying up student, recording video in office during English proficiency lessons Best spring gadgets for your home: Home Improvement and Lifestyle expert Kathryn Emery shares her top picksTexans' E.J. Speed, Toro cheer on students at Parker Elementary School for STAAR testPleasant mornings as we head deeper into spring
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Artemis 2 LIVE: NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts prepare to return to Earth todayTariq is the award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001. He covers human spaceflight, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.
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Artemis 2 LIVE: NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts prepare splashdown todayTariq is the award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001. He covers human spaceflight, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.
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