NASA's Artemis 2 Orion capsule to splash down April 10
NASA's Artemis 2 is wrapping up its eight-day space adventure, with the Orion capsule and its four astronauts set to splash down off San Diego at 8:07pm ET on April 10, 2026.
After blazing through Earth's atmosphere at a wild 40250km/h (40,000 kph), Orion will slow down for a gentle ocean landing.
NASA says it is confident about bringing everyone home safely, even with the tricky re-entry ahead.
Orion uses free return path
Orion's using a smart "free return" path that lets gravity do most of the work and saves fuel.
Its heat shield was investigated and fixed from Artemis 1 to handle temperatures up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).
This splashdown isn't just an ending: it's a big step toward future trips to the Moon and Mars.
NASA will be streaming the landing live as it keeps pushing what humans can do in space.