Overview
- The crew spent Thursday securing Orion and reviewing entry procedures ahead of an 8:07 p.m. EDT splashdown on Friday in the Pacific near San Diego.
- U.S. Navy recovery forces, including helicopters and the USS John P. Murtha, are in position as NASA tracks go criteria such as wave heights under six feet, winds below about 29 mph, and no nearby lightning or rain.
- Orion will hit the atmosphere at roughly 23,840 mph and about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and mission control will watch heat‑shield performance closely after extra charring seen on the uncrewed Artemis I.
- NASA adjusted how it applies the shield’s ablative material and chose a more direct, or lofted, entry rather than the prior skip profile to reduce the hardest heating conditions.
- The astronauts described a profound voyage that set a new distance record, included first‑hand views of the lunar far side and a solar eclipse, and featured minor systems hiccups such as toilet malfunctions and a persistent odor that were managed as part of the test flight.