Artemis 2 Splashdown LIVE: Artemis II’s 10-day journey around the moon comes down to 34 minutes. That is all the time between Orion’s crew module separating from its service module and the capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. In that half hour, the heat shield must repel temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit—half as hot as the surface of the sun—while the astronauts endure nearly four times their body weight in G-forces.
Separation is scheduled for 7:33 p.m. EDT. Four minutes later, Orion will make its final burn to refine its trajectory, reducing stress on the heat shield. Then the real work begins.
Artemis 2 Splashdown LIVE: What Happens During Reentry?
At 7:53 p.m., Orion will reach 400,000 feet above Earth, traveling at almost 35 times the speed of sound. The astronauts inside will pull up to 3.9 Gs. That is when the six-minute communications blackout begins. Plasma builds up around the capsule as it tears through the atmosphere, blocking all signals between Orion and ground control.
For 10 minutes, the crew will race toward Earth at a blistering pace. Then, at 8:03 p.m., at 22,000 feet, the parachutes deploy. The capsule decelerates from supersonic speed to less than 136 mph, then continues slowing to just 19 mph for a gentle splashdown at 8:07 p.m.
Artemis 2 Splashdown LIVE: What If the Capsule Lands Upside Down?
NASA expects Orion to land upright off the coast of San Diego. But there is still a chance it could flip over or roll into a bad position due to ocean waves. That is why the capsule is fitted with the Crew Module Uprighting System, first installed before Artemis I in 2022.
The CMUS consists of five giant airbags mounted to the top of the capsule. If Orion splashes down inverted, the airbags inflate and rotate the spacecraft back to its proper position in less than four minutes. The system can keep Orion upright and stable for at least 24 hours if needed. An upright capsule is required for communications and is safer for astronaut exit.
Artemis 2 Splashdown LIVE: How Fast Is Orion Traveling?
When Orion hits Earth’s atmosphere, it will be moving at approximately 11 kilometers per second, or 40,000 kilometers per hour. That is roughly 40 times faster than a passenger jet. The heat shield must withstand extreme temperatures caused by atmospheric friction while the crew remains protected inside.
The planned top reentry speed is 24,661 miles per hour, just 130 mph shy of Apollo 10’s record.
Artemis 2 Splashdown LIVE: Why Is There a Communications Blackout?
As Orion plunges through the atmosphere, an electrically conductive plasma forms around the capsule. This plasma blocks all radio signals between the spacecraft and ground control. It is anticipated that the outage would last roughly six minutes. Engineers on the ground are unable to receive telemetry data during that time, and the crew is unable to contact with mission controllers.
The blackout is a normal part of reentry. NASA has planned for it and trained the crew to handle the autonomous descent.
Artemis 2 Splashdown LIVE: What Happens After Splashdown?
The USS John P. Murtha leads recovery operations, with helicopters, divers and support vessels positioned nearby. Once the capsule splashes down, Navy divers will move the astronauts to an inflatable raft and then to helicopters for transport to the ship for medical evaluations.
The entire mission—from liftoff to splashdown—has covered more than 690,000 miles. The final 34 minutes will determine whether Artemis II ends in triumph.
FAQs: Artemis II Reentry
Q: How long is the critical reentry phase?
A: 34 minutes from service module separation to splashdown.
Q: How hot does the heat shield get?
A: 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, about half the temperature of the sun’s surface.
Q: How fast is Orion traveling at reentry?
A: 11 km/s or 40,000 km/h, roughly 40 times faster than a passenger jet.
Q: How long is the communications blackout?
A: Approximately six minutes due to plasma buildup around the capsule.
Q: What happens if the capsule lands upside down?
A: The Crew Module Uprighting System inflates five airbags to flip the capsule in under four minutes.
Q: When is splashdown?
A: 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT) off the coast of San Diego.
Disclaimer: This article is based on NASA mission timelines, LIVE UPDATES, and spacecraft specifications as of April 11, 2026.
