NASA's Artemis II Mission Nears Pacific Splashdown Amid Favorable Weather Forecast
NASA's Artemis II mission is set to conclude with a Pacific Ocean splashdown near San Diego on April 10, with weather conditions expected to be favorable for recovery operations.
NASA's Artemis II mission is approaching its conclusion, with the Orion spacecraft scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Friday, April 10, at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT.
The mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, marks the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972. The four-person crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—has been on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back.
Weather conditions for the splashdown are currently forecasted to be favorable. Specific criteria for a successful recovery include wave heights less than 6 feet, winds not exceeding 28 mph, good visibility, and minimal cloud cover, with no rain or thunderstorm activity, including lightning, within 35 miles of the splashdown site.
The designated splashdown area is approximately 50 to 80 miles offshore from San Diego. This location provides a window of time and space to ensure the crew's safety during reentry and facilitates efficient retrieval of the capsule by ground crews.
As the Orion spacecraft reenters Earth's atmosphere, residents near the San Diego coast may hear a sonic boom. The spacecraft is expected to slow down to roughly 17 mph upon ocean impact, thanks to the deployment of several parachutes.
NASA will confirm the exact landing time and location on Thursday, April 9.