Four astronauts are returning to Earth after a 10-day mission, marking the first crewed moon voyage in over 50 years. The Artemis II crew completed a lunar flyby and are now headed for a Pacific Ocean splashdown off the coast of Southern California.
The Orion spacecraft is traveling at nearly 24,000mph as it prepares for re-entry. The scheduled landing is set for Friday, with teams coordinating to safely extract the crew. This mission saw the astronauts view an eclipse, break an Apollo distance record, and test spacecraft systems.
This return is a crucial step toward resuming crewed lunar landings, bringing the total number of people who have traveled to the moon and back to 28. The capsule will utilize parachutes for a gentle splashdown.