After a spectacular 10-day mission that saw the Artemis II crew go further than any other astronauts before them, the mission will return to Earth today.
Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are the four NASA astronauts now preparing to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere following their record-breaking stint in space.
The spacecraft is expected to reach a whopping 23,839 mph as it speeds back down to Earth, before safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.
"I've actually been thinking about entry since 3 April, 2023, when we got assigned to this mission," pilot Victor Glover said when he was asked about coming home.
He added: “Riding a fireball through the atmosphere is profound as well."
Although the mission is US-led, the crew is also relying on international support. The UK has also played a part through the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, tracking the capsule during its celestial voyage.
All eyes will later turn to the shuttle’s arrival back on our planet.
Here is what you need to know about the historic mission’s return to Earth today.
How is Artemis II returning to Earth?
The technology and science behind the shuttle's return to Earth are impressive: the craft experiences extreme temperatures as it breaks into the atmosphere.
Orion will need to separate from its service module prior to re-entry, before hurtling towards Earth at 40 times the speed of sound, at which point communications will cut off.
It’s thought that the shield protecting the shuttle may reach up to 1,600 °C, as the four astronauts soar toward planet Earth.
The crew, protected by a vast heat shield in the shuttle, will essentially be encased in a fireball of plasma as the shuttle descends.
It’s understood that there is a very crucial period of around 13 minutes where everything must go to plan, in order for the crew to arrive safely.
A series of parachutes will then be triggered, slowing the shuttle down before it touches down in the ocean.
What time will Artemis II splashdown?
If everything goes to plan, the crew will touchdown at 1:07am UK time on Saturday morning, which is just after 8pm local time on Friday.
The Artemis II space shuttle is already on its way back to our planet, but the most crucial moments of the landing will happen in the early hours of Saturday morning UK time.
Nasa will be hosting a live stream video so people can tune in and watch the historic mission return home.
Where will Artemis II land?
The Artemis II mission is splashing down somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California.
Such splashdowns are carefully planned and calculated to ensure both the safety of the crew and people on Earth.
Its location off the coast of San Diego also means US teams can quickly arrive and recover the crew, with the USS John P. Murtha standing by to pick them up.
According to NASA: “Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-mission medical evaluations in the ship’s medical bay before travelling back to shore to meet with an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston.”
We’ll likely receive an official update from the crew following their arrival on Earth, as well as live updates throughout their return journey.
