Here's what to expect from the fiery, 14-minute return of Artemis II

Ars Technica
April 10, 2026
1 min read

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The article will detail what to expect from the return of Artemis II.

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The Artemis II mission's Orion spacecraft, carrying four astronauts, is scheduled for its "inexorable return" through Earth's atmosphere on Friday. Splashdown is predicted to occur at 8:07 pm ET (00:07 UTC Saturday). This phase of the lunar flight is considered the most critical, despite experts confirming the spacecraft appears fine. The return will take approximately 14 minutes, concluding a few hundred miles off the coast of Southern California.

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