Author Archives: Arun Kumar N

About Arun Kumar N

Arun has been associated with India International Times since 2018 and he has been a key reporter in covering science and space related stories. He can be reached at arunKnn@indiainternationaltimes.com.

Artemis II Mission Accomplished: Crew Re-Entry Updates, Splash down and Safe return home [Watch Videos]

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  • Artemis II launched aboard NASA’s Space Launch System, carrying four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft on a deep-space mission beyond low Earth orbit.
  • The crew conducted system checks and performed a historic lunar flyby, travelling thousands of kilometres beyond the Moon before beginning their return journey.
  • After completing a roughly 10-day mission, Orion safely re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, marking the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo.

Watch as the Artemis II crew returns to Earth, splashing down.

See visualization of plasma build up around the space craft, repelling of that heat on Integrity seat shield To splash down in pacific ocean( from timestamp 1:26:15)  in below  video posted by NASA on X.

NASA’s Artemis II mission return home details:

6:25 p.m.

NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to splash down at about 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT) off the coast of San Diego. After splashdown, a combined NASA and U.S. military team, will retrieve the crew and transport them by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha. Once aboard the ship, the astronauts will undergo post-mission medical evaluations before returning to shore to board an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Watch live return coverage on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Discovery+, Peacock and Roku. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

7:15 p.m.

The Artemis II Crew – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen are preparing for re-entry aboard the Orion spacecraft/NASA

7:33 p.m.

Orion’s crew and service module have separated. The crew module continues on its path towards Earth while the service module will harmlessly burn up in Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. The Artemis II return trajectory is designed to ensure any remaining debris does not pose a hazard to land, people, or shipping lanes.

7:37 p.m.

Orion performed the crew module raise burn, adjusting the spacecraft’s orientation to align its heat shield for re-entry.

7:53 p.m.

At 7:53 p.m. EDT,  The Orion spacecraft reached Earth’s atmosphere 400,000 feet above the planet’s surface, traveling 35 times the speed of sound and about 1,956 statute miles from the splashdown site. This is where the spacecraft first encounters the upper atmosphere and begins its guided descent. Shortly after, Orion is in a planned communications blackout expected to last about six minutes as plasma built around the crew capsule during heating.

8:00 p.m.

NASA has reestablished communications contact with the Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft as it returns to Earth.

8:03 p.m.

At 23,400 feet, the drogue parachutes on Orion deployed to slow and stabilize the spacecraft. Orion’s velocity drops to 479 feet per second and is .8 miles from splashdown.

8:04 p.m.

At 5,400 feet, Orion’s drogue parachutes were cut and the three main parachutes deployed, reducing velocity to less than 200 feet per second and guiding Orion on its final descent and splashdown.

8:07 p.m.

SPLASHDOWN!

NASA’s Artemis II crew in their Orion spacecraft is back on Earth. They successfully completed a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT).
NASA

NASA’s Artemis II crew in their Orion spacecraft is back on Earth. They successfully completed a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT).

Engineers will conduct several additional tests while Orion is in the water before powering down the spacecraft and handing it over to the recovery team aboard the USS John P. Murtha. The recovery team is on site and headed to the capsule to begin assisting the crew out of Orion.

The Orion spacecraft with the Artemis II crew inside is seen floating in the Pacific Ocean after splashing down at 8:07 p.m. EDT on April 10, 2026.
NASA

Orion has begun crew module power down, a planned post-splashdown step in which flight controllers shut down nonessential systems and transition the capsule into its recovery configuration. This reduces power demand and prepares the spacecraft for crew extraction as recovery teams move in.

8:12 p.m.

At the direction of the NASA recovery director, team members from the agency and the U.S. military now are approaching the spacecraft in inflatable boats.

Approximately an hour after splashdown, the crew will be extracted from Orion and then flown to the USS John P. Murtha. U.S. Navy helicopters will then transport them to the ship. Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post-mission medical evaluations before returning to shore to board an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

When ready, Navy divers will attach a cable, called the winch line, to Orion to pull the spacecraft into a specially designed cradle inside the ship’s well deck. Four additional tending lines will be secured to attachment points on the crew module while under tow.

Once Orion is positioned above the cradle assembly, technicians will drain the well deck and secure the capsule.

After it is secure aboard the ship, teams will return Orion to U.S. Naval Base San Diego before returning it to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for inspection. Once there, technicians will thoroughly examine the spacecraft, retrieve onboard data, remove payloads, and conduct additional post-flight checks.

9:34 p.m.

The Artemis II crew – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen — have been safely extracted from the Orion spacecraft.

The Artemis II crew is seen on an inflatable raft, called the front porch, after exiting the spacecraft. The Artemis II mission successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 8:07 p.m. EDT on April 10, 2026.
9:56 p.m.

The Artemis II crew has been hoisted into U.S. helicopters and are being flown to the USS John P. Murtha.

Artemis II Commander and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman is being hoisted into a U.S. military helicopter before being transported to the USS John P. Murtha.
Artemis II mission specialist and NASA astronaut Christina Koch is being hosted into a U.S. military helicopter before being flown to the USS John P. Murtha. NASA

9:58 p.m.

The Artemis II crew is safely aboard the USS John P. Murtha, where they will undergo post-mission medical evaluations in the ship’s medical bay before traveling back to shore to board a NASA aircraft bound for the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA will hold a post-splashdown news conference at 10:35 p.m. EDT from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Participants include:

  • NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya
  • Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
  • Rick Henfling, entry flight director, Artemis II
  • Howard Hu, manager, Orion Program
  • Shawn Quinn, manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program

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Artemis II Update-25, Day 10: Crew Sets for Final Burn, Splashdown

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Artemis II Update-26, Day 10: Crew Completes Final Burn Before Splashdown

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At 2:53 p.m. EDT, the Orion spacecraft ignited its thrusters for 8 seconds, producing a change in velocity of 4.2 feet-per-second and pushing Artemis II toward Earth. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen reviewed procedures and monitored the spacecraft’s configuration and navigation data.

The crew continues to wrap up cabin configuration for re-entry and move into their entry checklist.

Splashdown is targeted for 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT) off the coast of San Diego, where NASA’s recovery team will be standing by to welcome the Artemis II crew home.

Watch live return coverage on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Discovery+, Peacock and Roku, starting at 6:30 p.m. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media. Coverage will continue until NASA and Department of War personnel safely assist the crew out of Orion and transport them to the USS John P. Murtha.

 

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Artemis II Update-25, Day 10: Crew Sets for Final Burn, Splashdown

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The Artemis II crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen — began the final phase of their journey home to the songs “Run to the Water” by Live, selected by the crew, and “Free” by Zac Brown Band, as they prepared for their third return trajectory correction burn and shifted into full re-entry and splashdown preparations. When they woke up, they were 61,326 miles from Earth.

Splashdown is targeted for 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT) off the coast of San Diego, where a combined NASA and U.S. military recovery team will be standing by to welcome the Artemis II crew home.

Watch live return coverage on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Discovery+, Peacock and Roku starting at 6:30 p.m. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

Final return burn sets Orion for home

The third return burn will occur at 2:53 p.m., refining Orion’s path for atmospheric entry and splashdown. During the maneuver, the spacecraft will make precise adjustments to stay on its targeted course home.

NASA’s Artemis II re-entry and splashdown timeline and streaming coverage. Splashdown is targeted for 8:07 p.m. EDT (5:07 p.m. PDT) off the coast of San Diego, where NASA’s recovery team will be standing by to welcome the Artemis II crew home.NASA

Artemis II splashdown timeline

A carefully timed sequence will guide Orion through the final stages of descent:

  • 7:33 p.m.: Orion’s crew module will separate from the service module, exposing its heat shield for the spacecraft’s return through Earth’s atmosphere, where it will encounter temperatures of about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • 7:37 p.m.: Following separation, Orion will perform an 18 second crew module raise burn beginning to set the proper entry angle and align the heat shield for atmospheric interface.
  • 7:53 p.m.: When Orion reaches 400,000 feet above Earth’s surface while traveling nearly 35 times the speed of sound. The crew is expected to experience up to 3.9 Gs in the planned entry profile. This moment marks the spacecraft’s first contact with the upper atmosphere and the start of a planned six-minute communications blackout as plasma builds around the capsule.
  • 8:03 p.m.: Around 22,000 feet in altitude, the drogue parachutes will deploy, slowing and stabilizing the capsule as Orion nears splashdown.
  • 8:04 p.m.: At around 6,000 feet, the drogues will release, and the three main parachutes will deploy, reducing Orion’s speed to less than 136 mph.
  • 8:07 p.m.: Slowing to 20 mph, Orion will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, completing the Artemis II crew’s return to Earth and a 694,481-mile journey.
  • From there, teams from NASA and the U.S. military will extract the crew from Orion and fly them via helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha.
  • Within two hours after splashdown, the crew will be extracted from Orion and flown to the USS Murtha. Recovery teams will retrieve the crew, assist them onto an inflatable raft, and then use helicopters to deliver them to the ship. Once aboard, the astronauts will undergo post‑mission medical evaluations before returning to shore where awaiting aircraft will take them to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The Artemis II mission began with the successful liftoff of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on April 1 at 6:35 p.m. from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending the first humans toward the Moon since 1972.

During the mission, the astronauts completed a historic lunar flyby, marking humanity’s return to the vicinity of the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years. Throughout the flight, the crew and teams on the ground have evaluated Orion’s systems in the deep‑space environment, including a series of tests in which astronauts directly operated and interacted with the spacecraft.

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Subhash Ghai’s Mukta arts enters into partnership with Green Gold to produce animation films

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Mukta Arts Enters Global Animation Space With SGM  Studios

Mukta Arts Ltd has announced its foray into the animation feature film segment for global cinema audiences, marking a strategic expansion into a rapidly growing entertainment vertical.

The company will operate through its newly formed division, SGM Animation Studios, and has partnered with Green Gold Animation—a well-established Hyderabad-based Indian animation company known for delivering successful animated content, founded by  Rajiv Chilaka.

Green Gold Animation is widely recognised for producing popular titles such as Chhota Bheem, among other commercially successful projects.

Wikipedia

The collaboration is expected to position Mukta Arts in the global animation market, leveraging creative expertise and proven storytelling capabilities to develop feature films for worldwide audiences.

See the instagram post from Subhash Ghai:

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‘Mercy’ Trailer Ignites Debate On Passive Euthanasia Ahead Of April 24 Release

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Following an acclaimed journey across international film festivals, award winning film Mercy is now set to come closer to home. The official trailer unveiled digitally on April 10, offering a deeply moving glimpse into a story that has quietly stayed with audiences long after the credits roll.

Set in Mumbai on Christmas Eve — a night of warmth, togetherness, and reflection — Mercy unfolds as an intimate portrait of a family navigating an unexpected emotional crossroads. At its heart is Shekhar (Raj Vasudeva), whose world is suddenly altered, leaving him caught between love, responsibility, and an unspoken question that has no easy answers. What follows is a deeply personal journey through silence, strength, and the quiet weight of choice.

Rather than seeking to explain or define, Mercy gently opens up space for reflection — on dignity, compassion, and what it truly means to hold on, and to let.

 

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Artemis II Update-24, Day 9: Second Return Correction Burn Complete

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Thrusters Fire To Steer Orion Home:

At 10:53 p.m. EDT, the Orion spacecraft executed a brief nine-second thruster burn, increasing its velocity by 5.3 feet per second and nudging the Artemis II crew further along their return path to Earth.

With the maneuver complete, the crew has now crossed the halfway mark on their journey home.

Temporary Signal Loss Resolved

Roughly two hours before the burn, mission teams encountered an unexpected return link loss of signal during a data rate transition, briefly disrupting the flow of communications and telemetry from the spacecraft.

Two-way contact was subsequently restored, allowing flight controllers and crew to resume preparations for the scheduled maneuver without further delay.

art002e016204 (April 6, 2026) – NASA astronaut and Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover pictured here in the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II lunar flyby. Glover and his fellow crewmates spent approximately seven hours taking turns at the Orion windows capturing science data to share with their team back on Earth. At closest approach, they came within 4,067 miles of the Moon’s surface.NASA

Re-Entry Briefings And Next Steps

Earlier in the day, officials from NASA provided additional details on re-entry and splashdown procedures during a mission status briefing.

The next key milestone—a third return trajectory correction burn—is planned for April 10 at approximately 1:53 p.m., ahead of final re-entry operations.

Splashdown Target Remains On Track

NASA continues to target splashdown at 8:07 p.m. (5:07 p.m. PDT) on Friday, April 10, off the coast of San Diego, as the Artemis II mission enters its final phase of return.

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Who is Dan Florez in Artemis Mission Program

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Dan Florez is one of the NASA test directors for the Exploration Ground Systems Program. The test directors are a group of 20 engineers at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida who plan and execute integrated testing for Artemis missions. Their work includes developing timelines and procedures for launch countdown, propellant loading, emergency egress, pad and launch abort scenarios, recovery operations, and more. They help lead the ground systems team in all areas of testing.

At the time of Artemis I launch, Florez and his fellow test directors had already developed the launch countdown timelines for Artemis II.

“We were really focused on loading that spacecraft with cryogenic propellants and successfully launching it. With Artemis II, we’re going to have to do all that again, but in the middle of that, we’re going to have to embed the crew timeline to get the crew safely inside the spacecraft, get all the systems checked out, and launch them into space,” Florez said. “And we have to do the same thing on the tail end through recovery. So, there’s a lot of complexities when you have the human element thrown into the operation.”

Since Artemis I, Florez has focused his work even more heavily on the human element, taking on rescue and recovery operations.

“We have to have a plan to go get to the crew if we have an abort, if we land anywhere in the world within 24 hours,” said Florez. “My role right now is to do a lot of that coordination to make sure we have all the assets and all the resources in place to get to the crew.”

When the Artemis II crew returns to Earth aboard the Orion spacecraft, Florez will be there, prepared and ready with NASA’s Landing and Recovery Team and the U.S. military.

“We have a great partnership with the military. We have the Human Spaceflight Support Office within the Air Force that support us directly for not just for recovery operations, but also for any of the rescue operations”.

Dan Florez, NASA Test Director, Exploration Ground Systems Program

Recovery operations are routinely verified and validated in what is called an underway recovery test. NASA and Navy teams board a U.S. Navy ship and travel off the coast of San Diego to test retrieving the capsule and getting the crew safely on the ship. In late February 2024, the Artemis II crew joined the recovery team’s eleventh iteration of testing called, URT-11.

“It was really great to have that perspective of having astronauts in the loop during our test operations,” said Florez. “Everywhere along the way, we got feedback from them.”

Artemis II launched at 6:35 p.m. EDT April 1, from Launch Complex 39B, sending NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on their approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.

A wave breaks inside the well deck of USS Somerset as teams work to recover the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale replica of the Orion spacecraft, as they practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Thursday, March 27, 2025. NASA/Joel Kowsky

Florez and his colleagues are prepared and ready to apply everything they tested to recover the crew.

“Watching them launch is going to be great. I’m going to be happier when they land”.

Dan Florez, NASA Test Director, Exploration Ground Systems Program

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Deep Space Network Establishes Contact With Artemis II Spacecraft

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The acquisition of the radio frequency signal from the Artemis II crewed mission to the Moon by NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) is indicated by the peak in the data signal shown below on the computer screen.

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Soon after the mission’s launch on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 p.m. EDT, NASA’s Near Space Network led communications with the Orion capsule. Then, communications were handed off to the DSN, marking the first time in over 50 years that the network would be communicating with a crewed spacecraft traveling through deep space.

The Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California (where this photo was taken) operates the DSN, which comprises three complexes in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia. Each complex consists of several radio frequency antennas that communicate with dozens of robotic spacecraft exploring the solar system in addition to the Artemis II mission.

A graphical representation of the Deep Space Network’s radio frequency antennas indicate signal acquisition from NASA’s Artemis II mission to the Moon on April 1, 2026, inside the Space Flight Operations Facility at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Two antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex, Deep Space Station 54 and 56, can be seen communicating with Artemis II (the signals are labelled “EM2”, short for “Exploration Mission 2”; elsewhere they are labelled “ART2” for “Artemis II”).

A similar visualization can be found at DSN Now, which details all the missions that the network is communicating with 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

NASA

The DSN is managed by JPL for the agency’s Space Communications and Navigation program, which is located at NASA Headquarters within the Space Operations Mission Directorate. The DSN allows missions to track, send commands to, and receive scientific data from faraway spacecraft. JPL is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, for NASA.

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Monitoring over deep space network before artemis II signal acquisition

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Blanca Renteria, operations chief for the Artemis Deep Space Network (DSN), monitored incoming data from the Space Flight Operations Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory shortly after Artemis II lifted off on April 1, 2026.

The launch took place at 6:35 p.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center, with mission control teams quickly transitioning to deep space communication support.

The Space Flight Operations Facility manages NASA’s DSN, a worldwide system consisting of three primary complexes located in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia.

Each site is equipped with multiple radio-frequency antennas that maintain continuous communication with numerous robotic missions across the solar system, alongside the crewed Artemis II spacecraft.

NASA

Backbone Of Deep Space Communication

The DSN is operated by JPL under NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation programme, based at the agency’s headquarters within the Space Operations Mission Directorate.

This network enables mission teams to track spacecraft, transmit commands, and receive scientific data across vast distances. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory itself is managed by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, on behalf of NASA.

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What’s the longstanding tradition at JPL before any launch and other major space mission events

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A Ritual Before Liftoff

A container of “lucky peanuts” was placed above workstations inside the Space Flight Operations Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory ahead of the Artemis II launch on April 1, 2026.

The quirky ritual—eating peanuts before major mission events—has long been observed at JPL, seen by teams as a symbol of good fortune before critical operations.

Control Centre Behind Deep Space Communication

The Space Flight Operations Facility oversees NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), a global communication system comprising three major complexes located in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia.

Each site houses multiple radio-frequency antennas that maintain constant contact with dozens of spacecraft across the solar system, including the crewed Artemis II mission.

NASA

A Critical Link To Spacecraft

Managed by JPL under NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation programme, the DSN operates from the agency’s headquarters within the Space Operations Mission Directorate.

The network plays a vital role in tracking spacecraft, transmitting commands, and receiving scientific data from distant missions. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory itself is run by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, on behalf of NASA.

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JPL’s Mission Control Steps Up For Artemis II Deep Space Operations

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Mission Control Comes Alive In California

Inside the Space Flight Operations Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Artemis II mission took center stage on April 1, 2026, moments before liftoff. The central display featured the mission patch, while adjacent screens mapped real-time activity across the agency’s Deep Space Network (DSN), with active antennas highlighted as they transmitted and received signals.

From Launch To Deep Space Communication

Shortly after launch at 6:35 p.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center, initial communications were managed through NASA’s Near Space Network.

Control was then handed over to the DSN, marking a significant milestone—the first time in more than five decades that the network was tasked with maintaining contact with a crewed spacecraft journeying through deep space.

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltec

A Global Network Tracking The Mission

The DSN, operated from the Space Flight Operations Facility, consists of three major complexes located in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia.

Each site houses multiple high-powered radio antennas, forming a global system capable of maintaining continuous communication with spacecraft across the solar system—including Artemis II.

The Backbone Of Space Communication

Managed by JPL under NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation programme at headquarters, the DSN serves as a critical link between Earth and deep-space missions.

It enables mission teams to track spacecraft, transmit commands, and receive scientific data from vast distances. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory itself is operated by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, on behalf of NASA.

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Artemis II Update-23, Day 9: Crew Prepares To Come Home

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Final Day In Orbit

On their final full day in space, the Artemis II crew began the morning with “Lonesome Drifter” by Charley Crockett as their spacecraft closed in on Earth from a distance of 147,337 miles.

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch of NASA, along with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, are spending the day preparing for their scheduled return on Friday, April 10. Activities include reviewing re-entry protocols and executing a trajectory correction maneuver.

Securing The Cabin For Re-Entry

Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are leading preparations inside the capsule, securing loose equipment, removing storage netting, and adjusting crew seating configurations for re-entry.

The crew will also assess updated weather forecasts, recovery team readiness, and the mission timeline. Simultaneously, they are reviewing post-landing procedures to ensure a smooth transition once back on Earth.

Artemis II infographic showcasing the missions entry, descent, and landing milestones. This graphic was presented by Artemis II Flight Director Rick Henfling during the mission status briefing to the media and public on April 8, 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.NASA

Trajectory Correction Burn

A key maneuver is scheduled for 9:53 p.m. EDT, when Orion’s thrusters will fire for a second return trajectory correction burn.

This adjustment is designed to fine-tune the spacecraft’s path toward Earth and align it precisely for atmospheric entry. During the burn, Jeremy Hansen will oversee procedure execution and monitor navigation and propulsion systems.

Infographic featuring the Artemis II Orion lofted entry sequence. This graphic was presented by Artemis II Flight Director Rick Henfling during the mission status briefing to the media and public on April 8, 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA

Countdown To Splashdown

Ground teams are making final preparations for splashdown, expected around 8:07 p.m. (5:07 p.m. PDT) on April 10 off the coast of San Diego.

The re-entry sequence will begin with the separation of Orion’s service module at approximately 7:33 p.m., followed by a final trajectory adjustment at 7:37 p.m. The spacecraft will then execute roll maneuvers and accelerate to nearly 23,864 mph before entering Earth’s atmosphere.

A communications blackout is expected at 7:53 p.m. as plasma builds up around the capsule, lasting about six minutes. During this phase, astronauts may experience forces up to 3.9 Gs.

Infographic displaying the Artemis II Orion parachute sequence. This graphic was presented by Artemis II Flight Director Rick Henfling during the mission status briefing to the media and public on April 8, 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA

Parachute Deployment And Landing

After re-establishing communication, Orion will jettison its forward bay cover and deploy drogue parachutes at around 22,000 feet. Main parachutes will follow at approximately 6,000 feet, slowing the capsule for a safe ocean landing.

Ground track map displaying the Artemis II Orion parachute sequence. This graphic was presented by Artemis II Flight Director Rick Henfling during the mission status briefing to the media and public on April 8, 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA

Recovery And Return To Houston

Within two hours of splashdown, the crew will be retrieved and transported to the USS John P. Murtha via helicopter.

Once aboard, astronauts will undergo initial medical evaluations before returning to shore and boarding a flight to Johnson Space Center in Houston for post-mission debriefing and recovery.

U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 are seen arriving on the flight deck of USS John P. Murtha as they prepare to conduct air operations training as NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams prepare for the the return of the Artemis II crewmembers to Earth, Monday, April 6, 2026, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. NASA’s Artemis II mission is taking NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen are scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 5:07 p.m. PDT (8:07 p.m. EDT) on Friday, April 10.
NASA/Bill Ingalls

 

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Artemis II astronauts actively shared experiences via live calls, press conferences from Orion [Watch]

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Artemis II (launched April 1, 2026) successfully completed its historic crewed lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. The four-person crew NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist), and Jeremy Hansen (CSA Mission Specialist) became the first humans to view the Moon’s far side in over 50 years, traveled farther from Earth than any previous crew (surpassing Apollo 13’s record at ~252,000+ miles), and are now on their return journey.

Splashdown is scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026 (evening) in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego.

Recent Media Updates (as of April 9, 2026): The crew has been actively sharing experiences via live calls, press conferences from Orion, and transmitted images/footage while heading back to Earth.

*****************************************************************

Key Updates:

Return journey underway
The crew has completed the lunar flyby and is now on a gravity-assisted return trajectory to Earth, with splashdown expected in the Pacific.

Record-breaking distance achieved
Astronauts travelled over 252,000 miles from Earth, becoming the farthest humans ever in space, surpassing Apollo-era records.

Historic firsts during return
Crew made a record “space-to-space” call with the ISS, spanning ~230,000 miles — a first in human spaceflight.

Emotional reflections from space
Astronauts described the mission as a “relay race” for future explorers, emphasizing lessons for upcoming lunar missions.

Rare space phenomena observed
Witnessed a solar eclipse from the Moon’s far side, an experience crew said was “breathtaking”.

Scientific work continues during return
Ongoing experiments include studying the solar corona, monitoring meteoroid impacts, and testing astronaut health systems for re-entry.

Iconic imagery released
NASA shared first-ever human-captured views of the Moon’s far side, including Earthrise and eclipse visuals.

Symbolic gestures & legacy moments
Crew proposed naming lunar craters “Integrity” (after their Orion spacecraft) and “Carroll” (after Wiseman’s late wife).

Preparation for re-entry
Astronauts are now stowing equipment and conducting trajectory corrections ahead of a high-speed atmospheric re-entry.

Mission significance
The mission is seen as a critical stepping stone for future Moon landings and Mars missions, with data feeding into upcoming Artemis flights. The mission has been a major success so far, paving the way for future Artemis landings.

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Artemis II mission: LUCA and LESA support Artemis safety, success as crew prepares return journey

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NASA’s Artemis II mission is drawing support from a pair of nearly identical control rooms in Alabama, each playing a distinct role in keeping astronauts safe and operations on track as the crew heads back to Earth, Friday, April 10.

At the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, two facilities, the Lunar Utilization Control Area (LUCA) and the Lander Engineering Support Area (LESA), are working in tandem during the mission. Both are housed within the Huntsville Operations Support Center, a hub designed to provide real-time technical and scientific support.

Though similar in appearance, the two rooms serve different purposes. LUCA focuses on science operations linked to Artemis, while LESA is geared toward engineering support, particularly for future missions that will land astronauts on the Moon.

LUCA (Lunar Utilization Control Area) at NASA Marshall is specially designed to support a wide variety of science operations on and around the Moon – and beyond. Engineers in the LUCA monitored operations for the Lunar Node-1 experiment, an autonomous navigation payload that was part of the first NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) launch on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander in 2024. NASA Marshall flight controllers will use the LUCA again for Artemis II to monitor science operations.
NASA/Charles Beason

Officials say the flexibility of the Huntsville center allows it to adapt to evolving mission needs. The facility has previously supported programs including the Commercial Crew Program, the Space Launch System rocket and research aboard the International Space Station.

Teams operating from LUCA are currently supporting science experiments tied to deep space conditions. These include studies examining how microgravity and radiation affect the human body, including immune response and overall performance. Data gathered during Artemis II is expected to shape planning for future crewed missions beyond Earth orbit.

Support engineers will use the LESA (Lander Engineering Support Area) at NASA Marshall to monitor human landing system (HLS) for the first crewed Artemis missions.
NASA/Charles Beason

In parallel, LESA teams are monitoring Artemis II operations in real time, using the mission as a live test case to refine procedures ahead of future lunar landings. Engineers, safety specialists and flight operations experts form part of the Human Landing System Mission Insight Support Team, which will eventually play a central role in supporting lander systems during Moon missions.

The Huntsville Operations Support Center also provides a range of technical services, including spacecraft command and telemetry management, global voice communications, and live and recorded video support. It also deploys specialized software tools that enable seamless data exchange between systems located far apart, allowing teams across different locations to work in sync.

By integrating these capabilities into both LUCA and LESA, NASA enables continuous coordination between engineers, scientists and mission operators worldwide.

Artemis II, which recently carried astronauts around the Moon, is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface. The program is also intended to lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars, with lessons from current flights feeding directly into long-term exploration plans.

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Artemis II Update-22, Day 8: Crew conducts key tests as they begin their return journey

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Artemis II moved into another critical phase of its return journey as the crew began Flight Day 8 with a focus on testing systems and preparing for reentry.

 

Artemis II Update-21, Day 7: First Return Correction Burn Complete

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Artemis II marked a key step in its return to Earth late Tuesday, as the Orion spacecraft fired its engines to fine-tune its path home.

At 8:03 p.m. Eastern Time, Orion, named Integrity, performed its first return trajectory correction burn. The 15-second firing adjusted the spacecraft’s velocity by 1.6 feet per second, a small but critical change that aligned the crew’s course back toward Earth. NASA astronaut Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen oversaw the maneuver, reviewing procedures and closely tracking navigation and system data.

During a mission status briefing the same day, officials from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration released the first images captured during the crew’s lunar flyby, offering early visual data from the historic pass around the Moon. The agency also confirmed that the USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26) has departed port and is en route to a staging position in the Pacific Ocean, where it will support recovery operations following splashdown.

NASA said it will continue to share updates on recovery logistics and weather conditions in its daily briefings.

A live view shows the Orion spacecraft and its solar arrays as the Artemis II crew completed the mission’s first return correction burn on Flight Day 7.

With the burn complete, the crew is expected to rest before beginning a new round of flight objectives on Wednesday, April 8, focused on preparing for reentry.

Among the scheduled tasks is a test of an orthostatic intolerance garment, equipment designed to help astronauts regulate blood pressure and circulation as they transition from microgravity to Earth’s gravity. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Koch and Hansen will evaluate how effectively the garment supports cardiovascular stability during the return phase.

Later in the day, the crew will take manual control of Orion as part of a piloting demonstration. Using the spacecraft’s viewing systems, they will align with a designated target and guide Orion into a tail-to-Sun orientation while comparing its control modes.

The manual piloting test is scheduled to begin at 9:59 p.m., adding another layer of real-time data to NASA’s assessment of the spacecraft’s performance during its journey home.

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Artemis II Update-20, Day 7: ISS Crew Connects With Artemis II Astronauts Amid Busy Research Schedule

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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station spoke with the Artemis II crew on April 8 following their lunar flyby, marking a rare ship-to-ship exchange between deep space and low Earth orbit. The Artemis II crew is returning to Earth after circling the Moon, while Expedition 74 astronauts continued biomedical research and mission training aboard the station. The interaction highlighted how ongoing ISS science supports future lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis program.

For a few minutes on Tuesday, two crews separated by hundreds of thousands of miles shared the same conversation.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) connected with their counterparts on NASA’s Artemis II mission, offering a rare moment of overlap between low Earth orbit operations and deep space travel. The call came just a day after Artemis II astronauts completed a historic lunar flyby and began their journey home.

On one side were Expedition 74 crew members Chris Williams, Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir of NASA, along with Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency (ESA). On the other were Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, joined by Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

The Artemis II crew is traveling aboard Orion, returning to Earth after looping around the Moon in NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in decades.

ISS and Artemis II crew exchange experiences after lunar flyby

The conversation turned quickly to comparison.

Station astronauts asked about differences between spacecraft, while Artemis II crew members described the experience of seeing the Moon up close. Christina Koch, drawing on her own time aboard the ISS, linked the two missions directly.

“Every single thing that we learned on ISS is up here,” Koch said, referring to how station-based training translates to deep space operations.

The exchange underscored a key role of the ISS within the Artemis program. The orbiting laboratory functions as a proving ground where astronauts refine procedures, test systems and adapt to long-duration spaceflight before venturing farther from Earth.

For NASA and its partners, that continuity is central. The Artemis II mission builds on lessons accumulated over years of station operations.

The Artemis II crew – (clockwise from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover – pause for a group photo with their zero gravity indicator “Rise,” inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the Moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.

Space station biomedical research supports Artemis and future missions

While the call captured public attention, the station’s daily schedule remained anchored in research.

Crew members conducted a series of biomedical scans using the Ultrasound 3 device, focusing on how spaceflight affects the human body. Doctors on the ground monitored the scans in real time, looking for signs of blood clots that can form in leg veins and travel to the lungs.

Such risks have become a growing area of study as missions extend beyond short orbital stays. Data collected aboard the ISS feeds directly into planning for longer journeys, including missions to the Moon and eventually Mars.

Jessica Meir also contributed to the RelaxPro investigation, an ESA-sponsored study examining stress and immune responses in space. She collected saliva and hair samples that researchers will analyze on Earth for hormonal and immune markers.

The study explores whether mindfulness and meditation techniques can improve sleep quality and reduce stress during long-duration missions.

Cargo mission training and robotic systems testing on ISS

Operational training continued alongside scientific work.

Williams and Hathaway simulated the capture of the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft using the Canadarm2 robotic system. Mission planners are targeting April 10 for the launch of the resupply mission aboard a **SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which will deliver supplies and experiments to the station.

Elsewhere, Sophie Adenot worked inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module, setting up a compact experimental robotic arm known as TUSK. The system is being tested for precise movements at sub-millimeter levels in microgravity, a capability that could support delicate operations in future missions.

Adenot later joined fellow astronauts for emergency response simulations, rehearsing procedures designed to prepare crews for unexpected situations in orbit.

Roscosmos crew studies teamwork and fitness in orbit

Russian crew members also focused on research tied to long-duration missions.

Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev, both representing Roscosmos, participated in experiments examining team dynamics and physical conditioning in space. One study involved progressively complex computer tasks requiring cooperation, allowing researchers to observe how crews adapt to working together in confined environments.

The findings may influence crew training for future missions beyond Earth orbit.

Kud-Sverchkov later completed a monitored exercise session using an onboard cycle, while Mikaev assisted with health data collection.

Meanwhile, Andrey Fedyaev continued training with the European robotic arm inside the Nauka module, practicing both primary and backup control modes to ensure operational readiness.

The day’s activities reflected a layered mission environment.

On one level, astronauts pushed the boundaries of human spaceflight, exchanging insights between deep space and orbit. On another, they maintained a steady cadence of experiments and training that will shape future exploration.

The Artemis II crew moves farther from the Moon with each passing hour. The ISS crew remains in orbit, continuing work that helps make those journeys possible.

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Artemis II Update-19, Day 7: Crew Makes Long‑Distance Call, Prepares for Earth Return

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NASA’s Artemis II crew began their return journey to Earth on April 7 after completing a historic lunar flyby a day earlier. The crew, traveling aboard the Orion spacecraft about 236,000 miles from Earth, exited the Moon’s gravitational influence and initiated return procedures. The mission includes a call with International Space Station astronauts, scientific debriefs, and a planned trajectory correction burn to refine their path home.

The Artemis II crew woke to music and a long journey ahead.

Less than 24 hours after looping around the Moon, four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft began the slow pivot back toward Earth. They started Flight Day 7 roughly 236,000 miles from home, still carrying the momentum of a mission that marked humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo-era flights more than five decades ago.

The crew of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, crossed a key threshold early in the day. At 1:23 p.m. Eastern Time, Orion exited the Moon’s sphere of influence, the region where lunar gravity dominates spacecraft motion.

That transition marked a turning point. From that moment, Earth’s gravity again became the primary force shaping Orion’s path.

A quiet shift. But a decisive one.

Lunar Selfie
Midway through their lunar observation period, the Artemis II crew members – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – pause to turn the camera around for a selfie inside the Orion spacecraft.
Image Credit: NASA

Artemis II crew ISS call with Expedition 74 astronauts

Even as the spacecraft moved farther from the Moon, the crew maintained contact with colleagues in orbit closer to Earth.

At 2:40 p.m., Artemis II astronauts connected with crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a scheduled 15-minute audio call. On the station were NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, along with European astronaut Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The exchange, broadcast via NASA’s official channels, offered a rare ship-to-ship moment between astronauts operating at vastly different distances from Earth.

Such interactions serve both technical and symbolic purposes. They allow crews to compare conditions, share observations, and reinforce coordination across missions that together define current human spaceflight.

Lunar flyby data and science debrief after close Moon pass

Attention quickly shifted from conversation to analysis.

At 3 p.m., the Artemis II crew joined science teams on the ground for a detailed debrief. The timing was deliberate. Mission planners wanted to capture observations while impressions from the lunar flyby remained fresh.

The April 6 flyby carried Orion around the far side of the Moon, a region not visible from Earth. During that pass, astronauts documented surface features, lighting conditions and spacecraft performance, data expected to support planning for future Artemis missions.

NASA has positioned Artemis II as a test flight. Its purpose extends beyond demonstration to refinement. Every observation feeds into subsequent missions, including planned crewed landings under the Artemis program.

Engineers and scientists are expected to analyze crew feedback alongside telemetry data in the coming weeks.

(April 6, 2026) – Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew’s perspective, the Moon appears large enough to completely block the Sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and extending the view far beyond what is possible from Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun’s outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness. Also visible are stars, typically too faint to see when imaging the Moon, but with the Moon in darkness stars are readily imaged. This unique vantage point provides both a striking visual and a valuable opportunity for astronauts to document and describe the corona during humanity’s return to deep space. The faint glow of the nearside of the Moon is visible in this image, having been illuminated by light reflected off the Earth. NASA

Orion return trajectory correction burn details and timing

The most critical maneuver of the day was scheduled for later.

At 9:03 p.m., Orion’s thrusters were set to ignite for the first of three planned return trajectory correction burns. These burns are designed to fine-tune the spacecraft’s path toward Earth, ensuring precise reentry conditions.

Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen were assigned to monitor spacecraft systems and oversee procedures during the maneuver. Such burns require exact timing and calibration, as even small deviations at this distance can translate into large trajectory changes closer to Earth.

NASA officials have described the return phase as a series of incremental adjustments rather than a single decisive action. Each burn builds on the last, gradually aligning Orion with its targeted splashdown corridor.

Between scheduled tasks, the crew was given staggered off-duty periods.

The downtime serves operational needs as much as personal ones. Rest cycles help maintain cognitive performance, particularly as the mission enters phases requiring sustained attention and procedural accuracy.

NASA scheduled a mission status briefing later in the day to provide updates on spacecraft systems, crew health and trajectory progress.

The Artemis II mission, part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, aims to reestablish human presence beyond low Earth orbit. Unlike earlier missions confined to orbital paths around Earth, Artemis II pushes into deep space, testing systems required for sustained lunar exploration.

Flight Day 7 marked a transition from exploration to return.

The Moon receded behind them. Earth, still distant, became the destination again.

The path home had begun.

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Water on the moon? New Study Identifies South Pole Craters As Key Ice Locations Over Billions

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An international team of scientists reported on April 7, 2026, that water on the Moon likely accumulated gradually over billions of years rather than from a single event. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, points to permanently shadowed craters near the lunar south pole as the most likely reservoirs of ice. Using data from NASA missions and simulations, researchers identified older craters as prime targets for future exploration and resource use.

For decades, scientists have known that water may exist on the Moon. What remained unclear was how it got there and why it appears unevenly spread across the surface.

A new study published April 7 in Nature Astronomy offers a clearer picture. The research suggests that lunar water did not arrive in a single dramatic event, such as a comet impact, but instead accumulated slowly over billions of years.

The study was led by Oded Aharonson of the Weizmann Institute of Science, with contributions from Paul Hayne at the University of Colorado Boulder and collaborators including Norbert Schörghofer. Their findings draw on years of observations and modeling to explain one of lunar science’s longest-standing questions.

Lunar south pole ice locations and cold traps explained

Evidence of water on the Moon has come primarily from missions led by NASA, including the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Instruments aboard the spacecraft detected signals consistent with ice inside deep craters near the Moon’s south pole. These craters, known as “cold traps,” remain in permanent shadow and can preserve ice for billions of years.

Observations from the orbiter’s Lyman Alpha Mapping Project instrument indicated that ice is not evenly distributed. Some craters appear rich in ice, while others show little to none. That patchy pattern has puzzled scientists for years.

The new study attempts to explain that uneven distribution by looking back at the Moon’s geological history. The researchers combined temperature data from the orbiter’s Diviner instrument with computer simulations that reconstructed how the Moon’s orientation has shifted over time.

The Moon’s tilt relative to Earth has not always been constant. As it shifted, craters that are permanently shadowed today may once have received sunlight, while others remained dark for much longer periods. This variation appears to have influenced where ice could accumulate and persist.

“It looks like the moon’s oldest craters also have the most ice,” Hayne said, noting that this pattern suggests a slow and continuous buildup of water over as much as 3 to 3.5 billion years.

How water may have formed and accumulated on the Moon

The study does not identify a single source of lunar water, but it narrows down the likely mechanisms. Researchers ruled out the idea that most of the Moon’s water arrived in one large delivery, such as a massive comet impact.

Instead, multiple processes likely contributed over time. Volcanic activity in the Moon’s distant past may have released water from its interior. Comets and asteroids could have delivered additional water through smaller impacts. Hydrogen from the solar wind may also have reacted with oxygen in lunar soil to form water molecules.

“Through the solar wind, a constant stream of hydrogen bombards the moon, and some of that hydrogen can be converted to water on the lunar surface,” Hayne said.

The researchers found that the craters that have remained in shadow the longest are also those most likely to contain ice today. One example is Haworth Crater near the Moon’s south pole, which may have been in continuous darkness for more than 3 billion years.

These findings could guide future lunar missions. Identifying where ice is most likely to be concentrated can help scientists and engineers plan landing sites and exploration strategies.

Water on the Moon is not just a scientific curiosity. It has practical implications for long-term human exploration. Ice deposits could be mined for drinking water, breathable oxygen and even rocket fuel by separating hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

“Finding water beyond Earth in liquid and usable form is one of the most important challenges in astronomy,” Aharonson said in a statement released by his institute.

Future missions aim to confirm lunar ice deposits

The study highlights the need for direct sampling to confirm the origin and distribution of lunar water. Observational data and simulations can narrow possibilities, but they cannot fully resolve the question.

Hayne and his colleagues are working on a new instrument, the Lunar Compact Infrared Imaging System, designed to study surface ice in greater detail. The instrument is expected to be deployed near the Moon’s south pole around 2027 as part of upcoming missions.

“Ultimately, the question of the source of the moon’s water will only be solved by sample analysis,” Hayne said. “We will need to go to the moon to analyze those samples there or find ways to bring them from the moon back to Earth.”

As space agencies and private companies accelerate plans for lunar exploration, the findings provide a clearer map of where to look. The Moon’s darkest craters, once seen as inaccessible voids, are emerging as some of the most valuable real estate beyond Earth.

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Bank of Baroda Launches ‘bob SAMVAD’, an AI Platform To Transform Branch Interactions

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Bank of Baroda unveiled bob SAMVAD, an AI-powered multilingual conversational platform, in Mumbai on March 28, 2026. The platform, launched by Shri M. Nagaraju of the Department of Financial Services, aims to remove language barriers between customers and bank staff across branches. It will first roll out in 250 branches across five states, with plans for nationwide expansion to improve accessibility and service delivery.