After days in deep sapce, the journey home has truly begun. NASA's Artemis II astronauts have officially crossed the halfway mark on their return from the Moon, bringing the historic mission closer to its dramatic finale. With every passing hour, anticipation builds.
ALSO READ: All Eyes On Orion’s Heat Shield: Artemis 2’s Fiery Homecoming, Check Indian Time Here
Artemis II Crew Cross Halfway Milestone
NASA confirmed that the Orion spacecraft carrying the Artemis II crew is now approximately 1,13,000 km from Earth, travelling at a speed of 5,621 km per hour. This milestone marks a crucial phase in the return journey following their lunar flyby.
The crew includes mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. Notably, Hansen, a Canadian astronaut, is the only non-American onboard and the first from his country to be part of a lunar mission.
As the spacecraft steadily approaches Earth, all systems are being closely monitored to ensure a safe and precise return.
Crew Captures Rare Solar Eclipse From Deep Space
In a stunning visual moment, NASA also released a rare video of a solar eclipse captured from the Orion spacecraft. Recorded using cameras mounted on its solar array wings, the footage shows the Moon slowly passing in front of the Sun, revealing a glowing halo known as the solar corona.
“This video stitches together views from Orion's solar array wing cameras throughout the eclipse, showing the Sun as it disappears behind the Moon, revealing a glowing halo around the lunar disk.”
The visuals offer a unique deep-space perspective of a phenomenon usually seen from Earth, adding another remarkable chapter to the mission’s journey.
Where To Watch The Splashdown Live
NASA has scheduled the splashdown for April 11 in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego, California. The landing is expected at 6:37 am IST, marking the conclusion of a mission that began on April 2.
For those eager to witness the final moments, NASA will begin live coverage of the reentry at 4 am IST. The event will be streamed across multiple platforms, including YouTube, X, NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, Discovery+ and Peacock.
As the countdown begins, the world now watches closely, awaiting the safe return of the Artemis II crew and the successful completion of a mission that marks a major step forward in human space exploration.