Four astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission are preparing for the critical return to Earth after a week in space. Their Orion spacecraft will fall over 400,000 feet, enduring temperatures up to 2,760 degrees Celsius during a 13-minute re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.
Astronaut Victor Glover described the experience as "riding a fireball through the atmosphere." The crew has adjusted their trajectory and tested suits to combat orthostatic intolerance. On the final day, the service module will separate before Orion begins its descent southeast of Hawaii.
During re-entry, a plasma blackout will cut communications with NASA for about six minutes. Orion's heat shield will protect the crew from extreme temperatures. After the blackout, parachutes will deploy to slow the spacecraft for a splashdown off the coast of California.
Following splashdown, airbags will orient the capsule upright. Recovery teams will assist the astronauts into an inflatable raft, and helicopters will transport them for immediate medical checks. The Orion capsule will be recovered by the USS John P. Murtha within 24 hours.