LIVE: Artemis II crew expected to return to Earth

Final Trajectory Correction Burn

The RTC3 burn at 1:53 PM CT fires for 8 seconds to change velocity by 4.2 ft/s, precisely centering the spacecraft in the entry corridor.

Service Module Separation

At 6:33 PM CT, the European Service Module separates from the crew module, followed by a 19-second raise burn to optimize the angle of attack for atmospheric entry.

Atmospheric Entry and Blackout

Entry interface begins at 6:53 PM CT at 400,000 ft and 34,882 ft/s, initiating a 6-minute communications blackout caused by plasma buildup around the capsule.

Rapid Deceleration and Splashdown

From entry interface to splashdown at 7:07 PM CT, the vehicle decelerates from 23,783 mph to just 19 mph in 13.5 minutes using drogue and main parachutes.

Lofted Entry Profile

Mission controllers selected a 1,701-nautical-mile entry range and 14-minute duration rather than Artemis I's 3,178-mile skip entry to reduce thermal stress on the heat shield.

Char Liberation Prevention

The shorter trajectory prevents mechanical peeling of the heat shield material, which occurred on Artemis I when gas pressure built up beneath the porous char layer faster than it could escape.

Future Heat Shield Redesign

Artemis III will utilize redesigned, more porous heat shield material to enable safe skip entries returning from the lunar south pole without gas pressure buildup.

Optimal Splashdown Conditions

The capsule targets splashdown off San Diego at 7:07 PM CT with favorable conditions including 10-knot winds, waves under 4 feet, and scattered clouds.

Crew Extraction Sequence

Navy recovery teams will extract Christina Cook first, followed by Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Commander Reed Wiseman, transporting them via dual helicopters to the USS John P. Murtha.

Post-Landing Safety Systems

The Crew Module Uprighting System inflates five helium airbags to ensure the capsule remains stable before recovery teams establish the "front porch" raft for safe crew extraction.