Artemis II astronauts return home after record mission, splashdown Friday
Artemis II astronauts completed final rehearsal activities on Wednesday, including endurance exercises and testing pressure‑maintaining suits as they readied for re‑entry. The crew photographed a view of the Milky Way and recorded a total solar eclipse seen from a lunar shadow, marking the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth this week.
NASA confirmed that the mission was a test flight, with telemetry and physiological data gathering intended to inform subsequent Artemis missions. Ground teams and the crew secured payloads, installed seating systems, and practiced manual piloting in preparation for atmospheric entry.
Officials announced a Friday night splashdown deadline along the U.S. coast near San Diego. This landing window is expected to be the final phase of the mission, bringing the crew back to Earth after their lunar orbit. The flight’s success will provide performance metrics for future crewed lunar missions.