Orion’s risky return-to-Earth happens tonight at 8:07 pm (Eastern)
The Earth and Moon during the lunar fly-by on April 6, 2026.
Click for original image.
After spending ten days in space, including a swing around the back of the Moon, the four-person Artemis-2 crew is now preparing for its return-to-Earth this evening, splashing down off the Pacific coast near San Diego.
At 10:53 p.m. EDT [last night], the Orion spacecraft ignited its thrusters for 9 seconds, producing an acceleration in velocity of 5.3 feet-per-second and pushing the Artemis II crew toward Earth. The crew is now more than halfway home.
About two hours before the burn, there was an unexpected return link loss of signal during a data rate change affecting the transmission of communications and telemetry from the spacecraft to the ground. Two-way communications were reestablished, and flight controllers resumed preparing for the upcoming burn with the crew shortly after.
…The third return trajectory correction burn is scheduled for April 10 at about 1:53 p.m. ahead of re-entry procedures.
This is I think the second time Orion has had a short loss of communications with ground control. In addition, the crew had to cancel a planned manual piloting demonstration of Orion while it flew past the Moon because of a leak in an internal helium tank, used to maintain pressure in the oxygen tank as the propellant is used. The leak was inside the European-built service module, which will be jettisoned before re-entry and burn up in the atmosphere.
Mission managers say this leak has not impacted any engine burns, but it will require attention before the next flight.
The return to Earth however carries the biggest risk of the entire mission. Orion’s heat shield is questionable. During its first use in the 2022 unmanned Artemis-1 flight around the Moon, it did not behave as expected, with large chunks breaking off instead of thin layers ablating away. Though mission engineers have adjusted the flight path through the atmosphere to mitigate stress, there is great uncertainty about that solution.
I have embedded NASA’s live stream of the return-to-Earth below. It begins at 6:30 pm (Eastern), though the first return event, jettison the service module, doesn’t occur until 7:33 pm (Eastern).
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The Earth and Moon during the lunar fly-by on April 6, 2026.
Click for original image.
After spending ten days in space, including a swing around the back of the Moon, the four-person Artemis-2 crew is now preparing for its return-to-Earth this evening, splashing down off the Pacific coast near San Diego.
At 10:53 p.m. EDT [last night], the Orion spacecraft ignited its thrusters for 9 seconds, producing an acceleration in velocity of 5.3 feet-per-second and pushing the Artemis II crew toward Earth. The crew is now more than halfway home.
About two hours before the burn, there was an unexpected return link loss of signal during a data rate change affecting the transmission of communications and telemetry from the spacecraft to the ground. Two-way communications were reestablished, and flight controllers resumed preparing for the upcoming burn with the crew shortly after.
…The third return trajectory correction burn is scheduled for April 10 at about 1:53 p.m. ahead of re-entry procedures.
This is I think the second time Orion has had a short loss of communications with ground control. In addition, the crew had to cancel a planned manual piloting demonstration of Orion while it flew past the Moon because of a leak in an internal helium tank, used to maintain pressure in the oxygen tank as the propellant is used. The leak was inside the European-built service module, which will be jettisoned before re-entry and burn up in the atmosphere.
Mission managers say this leak has not impacted any engine burns, but it will require attention before the next flight.
The return to Earth however carries the biggest risk of the entire mission. Orion’s heat shield is questionable. During its first use in the 2022 unmanned Artemis-1 flight around the Moon, it did not behave as expected, with large chunks breaking off instead of thin layers ablating away. Though mission engineers have adjusted the flight path through the atmosphere to mitigate stress, there is great uncertainty about that solution.
I have embedded NASA’s live stream of the return-to-Earth below. It begins at 6:30 pm (Eastern), though the first return event, jettison the service module, doesn’t occur until 7:33 pm (Eastern).
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I am sure Handmer has his own poison pen Safire letter at the ready….nib dripping with vitriol
Here’s to hoping he’s disappointed.
At this point all I can do is pray, and pray I do that everyone arrives back on earth safely. But I’m livid that NASA has once again put mission ahead of crew safety. Only an organization with qualified immunity would use an unproven heat shield with human passengers on board.
Sort of a lie I just heard from the NASA commentator saying the European service module performed flawlessly.
Since it is a test flight it is unfortunate that there was no capability to use an EVA to inspect points of failure such as whatever was going on with the toilet “flush” and whatever was going on with the service module. To have detailed pictures and samples would be great, even if dangerous. But there goes another reason that the total reuse architecture of Super Heavy and Star Ship is such a win. Everything comes back for detailed inspection and scrutiny.
Jeff Wright, there’s no vitriol in what Casey Handmer wrote, just good engineering analysis.
And like Casey, I’m eager to see your point-by-point rebuttal for each of his assertions.
Robert Pratt: Yup, that was a lie.
Prayers answered.
Splashdown
They are at stable-1 as I type this.
I must admit, I am a touch relieved. I hope NASA is transparent on the condition of the heat shield post recovery.
Just to confirm, you are pushing the PTT (Push to talk) on the radio? LoL.
Answer the phone!
Yes we are pushing the PTT!
No Joy on Sar Radio or SAT phone.
Also something about the beacon not being heard by recovery.
And a delay of the power down, unless communications with the recovery team can be established.
Integrity: We can hear them, but they cannot hear us.
Houston asks to confirm, are you pushing the PTT on the Radio?
Houston: On the SAT Phone we are going to attempt to call you.
Integrity: We are power cycling the radio.
…
It’s great that they got back home okay, but this whole Artemis thing is stupid and obscenely expensive. Except for the capsule, Artemis wasted all of its original solid mass that originally launched. None of it is reusable. With a few years of patience at most, SpaceX could have done this exact same thing and reused everything. That approach would only need methane / LOX for the propellants, plus air, water, and food for the crew.
Or maybe I’m spoiled?
All: Refresh your browsers and read my post on the splashdown. I would love future comments to be in that post.
Congrats to Integrity crew and NASA.
With this mission being at least as much about PR as science or engineering it surprises me how little flash the Official Broadcast had compared to a SpaceX launch. Bad animations, out of focus, and low resolution video all are problems that have been solved by others.
Anybody know if there is a technical reason why they couldn’t use Starlink to avoid the 6 minute blackout?
Glad they are home safe.
Watching the recovery.
Why don’t they just use an old amphibious ship and back right up to the capsule scooping it up.
One of those amphibious transport ships with the low rear deck to launch and recover hovercraft and a helicopter flight deck.
The craft would be out of the water faster and it would be safer for all the support crew.
pzatchok: You mean a variation of what SpaceX does to recover its Dragon capsules? I’ll tell you why: because it would cheaper, and involve fewer people, and that won’t fly within our sainted federal government. A lot of Navy people clearly wanted to be present at this recover, looking at the number on those lifeboats. So did a lot of NASA individuals. Gotta protect their turfs!
SpaceX does it with a fraction of the numbers.
And the goal isn’t to do this well, but to distribute perks and cash to many different agencies and divisions.
Of course the crew are trained professionals, but still I hope the ship has some available showers with plenty of hot water for them!
Gonna be real interested in seeing what the backside of the heat shield looks like. Cheers –
Whew!
I am watching the recovery.
It looks like a government clown show.
6 Boats and over 40 men and they don’t look like they know whats going on.
And the goal isn’t to do this well, but to distribute perks and cash to many different agencies and divisions.
Indeed. You know some company got a few million to design that “stabilization” ring, which was only slightly more useful than the “front porch”, which was a purpose built, single use, highly engineered, life raft; which could have easily been replaced by any of those rigid hull inflatables that were used to install it. And 4 helicopters circling and burning fuel for 2 hours, because “landing them on the flight deck means only a 1-minute walk to the medical bay”. Sure, after it takes 2 hours to get them to the flight deck.