San Diego Navy ship to recover Artemis II crew

The USS John P. Murtha, MH-60S helicopters and Navy dive teams based in San Diego will assist NASA in recovering the four-person Artemis II crew after a planned splashdown off the San Diego coast on April 10; officials are monitoring weather that could affect timing and location.

San Diego-based Navy resources will assist NASA in recovering the Artemis II crew after a planned splashdown off the San Diego coast. The recovery force includes the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha, MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters from HSC-23, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 divers. NASA expects the Orion spacecraft carrying four astronauts to splash down around 5:07 p.m. PDT on Friday, April 10, pending weather. Officials report the capsule is expected about 50 to 80 miles off the San Diego coast. Recovery team and timeline: - The amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) will serve as the recovery ship, and it has a well deck, helicopter pad, onboard medical facilities and communications support. - MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 (HSC-23) will track the Orion capsule through reentry and recover the astronauts from the capsule before bringing them to the ship for medical assessment. - Navy divers from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 (EODGRU-1) will recover and transport the Orion capsule from the ocean onto the Murtha's well deck. - NASA expects the crew to be aboard the recovery ship within about two hours of splashdown, and after medical clearance they will be taken to San Diego and later flown to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. - Splashdown timing and exact location are being monitored closely because rain, thunderstorms, wave height and wind could affect the plan. Summary: The Navy and NASA are coordinating a ship, helicopters and dive teams to recover the Orion capsule and the four-person Artemis II crew and return them to San Diego before transfer to NASA facilities. Weather and sea conditions will determine whether the splashdown occurs as scheduled Friday afternoon.