Happening soon
• Astronauts are ready for reentry: The Artemis II astronauts have donned their spacesuits and are working through a checklist to prepare for their high-stakes return to Earth.
• A look at the schedule: Reentry into the atmosphere is scheduled to begin at 7:53 p.m. ET, when the spacecraft hits the top of Earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of 400,000 feet, traveling about 30 times the speed of sound. There will be a six-minute expected communications blackout. The crew is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. ET.
• On board: NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen made a historic 10-day journey around the moon and back, traveling farther from Earth than anyone in human history.
Here's what the astronauts will feel and hear during reentry
Reentry is a visceral experience. As the Orion plunges back toward Earth, the astronauts will experience nearly four Gs pressing into their chests. And that’s just if everything goes as planned.
Reentry flight director Rick Henfling said that if something goes wrong, and Orion has to take on a “contingency” trajectory, the astronauts could experience up to seven and a half Gs.
After screaming back into the atmosphere, the capsule will deploy parachutes — nine total that come out in groups in rapid succession — and it’s a “pyrotechnic event,” noted flight director Jeff Radigan during a Thursday news conference.
“They’re going to hear them. They’re going to feel them. And it’s actually, I think, going to be a fun ride for them,” Radigan said.
When they finally hit the ocean, the sensations don’t stop.
“We do expect them to have some symptoms for being in space for 10 days, most commonly nausea,” U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Jesse Wang said. “A little bit of vertigo or disequilibrium, as well as just being dehydrated and tired.”
Orion's heat shield is suboptimal. Here's why that matters
As the Orion crew capsule enters Earth’s atmosphere, temperatures could climb up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).
Several former NASA engineers and a former astronaut have expressed concern to CNN that the heat shield on the bottom of Orion that’s designed to protect the crew from extreme temperatures isn’t safe.
This vital piece of hardware is nearly identical to the heat shield flown on Artemis I. That 2022 uncrewed test flight returned from space with its 16.5-feet (5-meter-wide) shield pockmarked by unexpected damage — prompting NASA to investigate the issue.
A few facts to know:
- The issues on Artemis I showed that the heat shield needs to be more permeable to function as intended. The Artemis II heat shield is actually less permeable.
- NASA officials are not expecting the Artemis II shield to avoid cracking entirely. There will be signs of cracking again, Howard Hu, the Orion program manager, told CNN.
- Immediately after splashdown, two recovery personnel will dive into the ocean to photograph the heat shield. The goal is to gather data as soon as possible about how it holds up during today’s flight.
- Heat shields on future Orion capsules will be adjusted in the hopes of preventing cracking entirely. The Artemis II heat shield was not changed, but NASA says it addressed the issue by adjusting the reentry flight path.
Agency officials are confident they understand the problem. But Artemis II program leaders have made clear that evaluating the heat shield’s performance today is a top concern — both because the safety of the astronauts is at stake and because engineers want to gain a better understanding of the material for future flights.
"Guess we'll have to go back": Moon gets smaller for astronauts
Mission commander Reid Wiseman just told mission control: “Great view of the moon out window 2. Looks a little smaller than yesterday.”
Mission control replied cheekily: “Guess we’ll have to go back.”
Here's the trajectory Artemis II is expected to take during reentry
Timothy Glotch from the NASA Artemis Lunar Surface Science Team explains the planned trajectory of Artemis II.
Astronauts told to ignore sensor data, capsule in "good shape"
NASA spokesperson Rob Navias just clarified that the crew is being told to ignore sensor data that is tripping alarms.
“Reid Wiseman aboard Integrity, indicating basically to ignore sensor data,” he said. The errant data from the Orion’s systems is not a sign of the capsule being in ill health, Navias clarified.
“All of integrity systems are in good shape,” he said. Mission control is dead silent as officials prepare for the tense moments ahead.
Orion fires its thrusters for reentry
The Orion capsule discarded its service module and is now using its own onboard thrusters to orient itself as it prepares to dive back into the thick inner band of Earth’s atmosphere.
The thrusters fire for a total of about 18 seconds.
This burn is also meant to help adjust the temperature loads on the Orion capsule’s heat shield. The heat shield notably had issues during a prior test flight — and putting it to use now is a nail biting moment.
Orion's service module just broke away
The Orion spacecraft’s service module has given the crew capsule power, life support and propulsion during the entire 10-day trip.
But it’s not needed anymore. The 13-foot-wide cylindrical attachment, which sits at the base of the silvery gumdrop-shaped crew capsule, just detached and is falling away.
NASA has always intended to discard the service module, likely never to be seen again as it falls into the ocean. In fact, that’s why NASA reorganized the astronauts’ schedule in orbit over the last couple days to allow the astronauts time to troubleshoot some issues with the module.
That was done to gather data to fix the issues for future flights. There’s no way engineers on the ground will get a firsthand look, so the astronauts did what they could while the service module was still in working order.
The crew capsule is now flying on its own, using its onboard thrusters — of which there are 12 total — to give the astronauts all the guidance and control they need to finish the mission.
Crucially, removing the service module also exposes the crew capsule’s heat shield. This protective layer on the bottom of the astronauts’ vehicle will shield them from extreme temperatures as they plummet back into the atmosphere.
The Artemis II crew could experience 3.9Gs upon reentry
The Artemis II crew could experience 3.9Gs, or 3.9 times their own body weight, after reentering Earth’s atmosphere.
“The G profile will actually be very similar to what it is on launch,” said NASA astronaut Victor Glover. “So the G profile is is going to be pretty sporty, but when we touch down, the heat shield and the parachutes are going to get us nice and slow so that we touch down at a 20 mph splashdown in the Pacific and we can’t wait to see the dive team and the Navy that are going to come and pick us up.”
Orion switches its communications network
The Orion capsule has been using the Deep Space Network (DSN) to stay in touch.
Consisting of three massive, strategically placed antennas in California, Spain, and Australia, the DSN is designed to communicate with spacecraft traveling deep into the cosmos — such as the storied Voyager 1 vehicle now soaring nearly 16 billion miles from home in interstellar space.
But Orion is nearly home. And it can now transition back to using NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation for its communication needs.
TDRS is used to connect most human spaceflight missions, including at the International Space Station, which orbits just a couple hundred miles above ground.
Meet the woman in charge of recovering the crew
Lili Villarreal, the Artemis II landing and recovery director, will be there waiting for the four astronauts when they splash down. Villarreal is hoping for a “boring operation.”
“We want it to be boring because we practice and practice and practice,” she said in an April 2 episode of NASA’s “Curious Universe” podcast. “We love boring.”
For Villarreal, the most tense moment will be watching to see how the main parachutes that slow the Orion capsule deploy. “If we don’t see three parachutes, there’s a lot of contingency events that we’re going to be doing,” she said. “We can land safely with two. But you know, it might be a little more of an impact to the crew on two parachutes,” she added.
Villarreal, who has worked for NASA for more than two decades, said preparing for this moment has given her more white hair.
“I’m just one of those people that always thinks about what’s the worst that could possibly happen, which is a good thing, because it prepares me for making decisions real quick. Decision velocity is so important in this job,” she added.
“Once I see that crew in the helicopter it’s going to be quite the sigh of relief.”
Artemis II will endure a six-minute blackout during reentry
It’s an unfortunate fact of physics: When the Orion capsule hits the thick inner band of Earth’s atmosphere, the pressure will create a buildup of plasma on the vehicle’s exterior.
That prevents the capsule from talking to mission control, leaving the four-person crew in a six-minute communications blackout.
It’ll be a nail-biting moment for mission controllers, said flight director Jeff Radigan. He said he would spend every moment ticking through a mental checklist of what Orion is going through — valves firing, capsule actuating, altitude lowering.
“We’ll just be, you know, thinking through the things that will keep ourselves calm as we wait for acquisition of signal,” Radigan said.
“Entry interface” is a pivotal and perilous moment
The point at which the Orion crew capsule reenters Earth’s atmosphere, when it transitions from the vacuum of space to a dense atmosphere, is known as “entry interface.”
Orion will reach its maximum velocity — approximately 23,864 mph — just before this critical point, which happens 13 minutes before splashdown.
“I’m super confident in the team’s ability to execute,” Rick Henfling, the lead Artemis II entry flight director, told CNN earlier this year.
“But once we hit entry interface, and the heat starts building up on the heat shield, there’s no turning back. We’re coming in and, you know, we’re going to safely finish that mission.”
Artemis II commander's brother says he’s looking forward to having the family reunited
Bill Wiseman is looking forward to his brother being reunited with his daughters and the rest of their family. His brother is NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, the commander of the historic Artemis II mission that’s set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego soon.
“I’m thrilled. I’m super excited for these guys, for the whole crew,” Bill Wiseman told CNN. “It’s been literally almost a flawless mission. They’ve done everything they wanted to do. They’ve done it with humility. They’ve done it with levity.”
During the Artemis II crew’s final public affairs event of the mission Thursday night, Reid Wiseman told his daughters, Ellie and Katie, their support has been “unbelievable.”
His brother said it has been hard for the teenagers having their dad in space. Artemis II astronauts identified two new craters on the lunar surface and suggested naming one Carroll for Reid Wiseman’s late wife, a nurse in a newborn intensive care unit who died in 2020 following a battle with cancer.
“I outwardly I see the same young women that I’ve seen for years. But I know it’s tough on them, on the inside, but it’s great to see Reid being able to communicate with them,” Bill Wiseman said of his nieces.
Still, there are some nerves about the upcoming splashdown. “I wouldn’t say I’m chill about it. I bought my dad a box of pencils so he can chew on them during that time,” Bill Wiseman said.
This is the kind of debris expected to release from Orion
The US Navy will have a broad swath called a keep out zone established in the splashdown area off the coast of San Diego and a large part of that is due to expected debris.
“So when the crew module comes back in, the forward bay cover, which is the very top of the crew module, actually comes off, and that pulls out your first set of parachutes,” said Branelle Rodriguez, Artemis II vehicle manager for the Orion Program. “And we have kind of three sets of parachutes that come out. And so as each one of those pull off, they get released. And so that is kind of what the debris is … that falls into the zone.”
These spacesuits could save the astronauts' lives
For the trip home, the astronauts are tucking back into their bright orange spacesuits.
Called the Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) suits — pronounced “ox suits” — these outfits are equipped for everything: air, a liquid diet of food, drinking water and even waste disposal for the wearer (via an adult diaper).
But the suits also serve as an extra layer of protection during the most dynamic stages of a space mission, including launch and reentry, which is happening today.
In case of depressurization, the spacesuits worn by the Artemis II astronauts are designed to keep them alive. CNN's Randi Kaye takes a look at a similar suit.
To be clear, however, the suits can’t save their lives if the vehicle is destroyed. But they do provide backup if the spacecraft experiences an issue that affects the life support systems.
In case of an in-flight issue, the OCSS suits are also designed to keep the astronauts alive for up to six days.
During flight Day 5 — which began Sunday in Earth time — the Artemis II astronauts carried out a vital test of how the suits might be used in such a scenario.
The challenge is getting into the suits and on their internal life support systems quickly enough if disaster strikes.
NASA’s Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover practiced “rapid donning” — aiming to get outfitted in a “pretty swift” 15 minutes, flight director Rick Henfling said during a Sunday news conference.
Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen made history on his first trip to space
The Artemis II mission is astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s first trip to space — a stunning feat, as most first-time fliers stay closer to home on missions to the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit. On Artemis II, Hansen traveled roughly 1,000 times farther and become the first Canadian to travel to the vicinity of the moon.
Hansen grew up on a farm. He said he used to plow the living room carpet with toy tractors and pretend his treehouse was a rocket ship — but he also dreamed about flying airplanes, jets and spacecraft before becoming a Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot.
While he does not have previous astronaut experience, Hansen does bear the titles of cavenaut and aquanaut.
His spelunking training came from the European Space Agency’s CAVES program, during which he explored underground for six days on the Italian island of Sardinia to prepare for living and working with others in remote, isolating conditions.
Hansen was also a member of the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, or NEEMO 19, excursion, spending a week in an underwater habitat near Key Largo, Florida.
During the Artemis moonshot, Trump recommends NASA budget cuts
The White House budget request, released April 3, includes a proposal to give a billion-dollar boost to NASA’s moon-focused Artemis program. But President Donald Trump is also requesting deep cuts to NASA’s science budget — to the tune of nearly 50%.
Overall, the budget proposal would cut the agency’s top line by $5.6 billion, or 23%.
It’s the second year Trump has floated cuts of this magnitude, eliciting widespread pushback from various pockets of the space community. And Congress soundly rejected them in its latest budget.
And this year’s round of proposed rollbacks is garnering similar feedback.
NASA’s chief, Jared Isaacman, defended the White House request during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday: “NASA’s science budget is greater than every other space agency combined across the world.”
“NASA doesn’t have a top-line problem,” Isaacman said.
But critics are openly wondering how NASA will achieve the ambitious goals it has set out for itself — even the ones Isaacman is explicitly promoting — while also slashing costs.
Trump called in during the mission to speak with the astronauts after their historic flyby.
Read more here.
NASA's special live coverage has begun
NASA’s special live coverage of splashdown has begun.
Video credit: NASA
NASA official happy with Orion performance, but there are things to fix for future missions
The data collected during the Artemis II’s 10-day trip around the moon is going to help NASA improve future Artemis missions coming up, including one that will land humans on the moon again, the agency’s associate administrator said.
Scientists have seen “a handful of minor anomalies” during the mission that they know will need to be fixed, NASA’s Amit Kshatriya told CNN today.
“But I think the big, the big lesson for us is just fully witnessing the crew and the environment having Orion and the environment is supposed to fly in and learning how she performs, tuning all the systems the right way,” he said.
Those fixes seem like they will be “easy, relatively straightforward,” according to Kshatriya. Officials have been “very pleased” so far by the performance of the Orion capsule, he said.
Artemis II’s flight plan was adjusted with the information NASA collected from the Artemis I test flight, Kshatriya said. That pattern of progression will continue, he said.
“We’ve been really happy, not just with the performance of the machine, but also the way the crew has performed during this mission and what they’ve taught us about how the crew will interact with these spacecraft as we go forward,” Kshatriya said.
The Artemis III mission will involve launching a crewed NASA capsule to Earth orbit to dock with at least one prototype lunar lander vehicle made by SpaceX or Blue Origin. Artemis IV, slated for 2028, will be a moon-landing mission.
Artemis II is on its way home from the moon. Here's why it didn't land there
Artemis II is the first crewed mission NASA has sent to the moon since the 1970s, but the crew never set foot on the lunar surface.
CNN’s Jackie Wattles gives the lowdown on why the landing had to wait:
