Artemis II splashdown off San Diego marks safe return from moon

Artemis II astronauts splashed down off the San Diego coast at 5:07 p.m. after a 10-day lunar flyby; NASA described the high-energy reentry as one of the riskiest moments while testing systems ahead of planned lunar landings in 2028.

Artemis II astronauts splashed down off the San Diego coast at 5:07 p.m. Friday after a 10-day mission around the moon. The flight was humanity's first return to the moon in more than 50 years and focused on testing life support, piloting and other systems ahead of future crewed lunar landings. NASA described reentry as one of the riskiest moments, with the capsule entering the atmosphere at more than 30 times the speed of sound and passing through a nearly 5,000-degree-Fahrenheit fireball. The mission also carried international partners and is intended to help prepare for planned lunar landings in 2028 and later missions to Mars. Key details: - Splashdown occurred at 5:07 p.m. Friday off the coast of San Diego after a 10-day lunar flyby. - The mission lifted off on April 1 and tested life support systems, manual piloting and procedures such as sheltering from solar radiation. - Reentry exposed the capsule to more than 30 times the speed of sound and nearly 5,000°F conditions, prompting close monitoring of the heat shield. - During the 2022 Artemis I test mission, the heat shield had developed more than 100 chips; NASA chose a steeper return trajectory for Artemis II and says it will redesign the heat shield for future missions. - Crew reported emotional and observational moments while near the moon, and the mission included routine onboard issues such as repeated problems with the capsule toilet. Summary: The successful splashdown completes a 10-day test of crewed lunar operations and key spacecraft systems, including a high-energy reentry that was closely monitored. The flight is described as a preparatory step toward planned lunar landings in 2028 and for longer-term exploration goals such as missions to Mars, and NASA plans to analyze flight data and pursue a heat shield redesign for future missions.