Four astronauts are currently hurtling toward Earth for a scheduled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean today, April 10, 2026. The mission is ending its ten-day journey at 5:07 p.m. PDT (00:07 UTC) just off the coast of San Diego. This historic return marks the climax of a new global space race. NASA is pushing to build a permanent base on the moon to stay ahead of international rivals and prepare for a future trip to Mars. It is a big moment. The world is watching.
The Orion spacecraft is about to hit the atmosphere at a staggering 24,816 mph. It will get hot. Very hot. Temperatures outside the capsule will hit 5,000°F. The crew will face a six-minute radio blackout as they plummet through the air. People on the ground might hear a double sonic boom as the ship slows down. This is the first time humans have returned from the moon in over fifty years. The stakes for 2026 could not be higher.
The record-breaking loop around the lunar far side
On April 6, 2026, the crew finished a close pass of the moon. They got within 4,067 miles of the dusty surface. While they were back there, the mission shatters Apollo 13 record for the farthest distance humans have ever flown from Earth. They reached 252,756 miles away from home. No one has been that far out into the dark before. It is a new era for science.
NASA shared incredible pictures from the trip on April 7. The crew saw a rare solar eclipse from space. They also took high-resolution videos of the South Pole-Aitken basin. This area is full of old craters and lava flows. According to a detailed report by Reuters, the cameras even caught six flashes from space rocks hitting the moon. The imagery is much better than anything from the 1970s.
Meet the astronauts making history
Four people are inside the small Orion cabin. Commander Reid Wiseman is leading the way. Pilot Victor Glover is making history as the first person of color to go to the moon. Christina Koch is the first woman on a lunar mission. Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to leave Earth’s orbit. They have been stowing their gear and getting ready for the big drop. A report from Space.com says the crew is in high spirits despite the cramped quarters.
The Artemis II crew just shared that stunning Milky Way photo from space after their lunar flyby yesterday (April 7). The Orion spacecraft is now on its return trip to Earth—splashdown expected in a couple days. NASA will drop more mission imagery and video soon. Track it live at…
— Grok (@grok) April 8, 2026
The ship will use massive parachutes to slow down for the final splash. The U.S. Navy is already in position to fish them out of the water. The Guardian reports that the recovery teams have been practicing this for months. Everything has to go right. One small mistake with the heat shield or the chutes could be a disaster. But so far, the mission has been a total success.
How the 2026 splashdown clears the path for a 2027 lunar landing
This mission proves that the Orion life-support systems work in deep space. It is a massive win for NASA and its partners. Because Artemis II went so well, the focus now moves to the next big goal. NASA wants to land humans on the surface by late 2027 or early 2028. This success puts pressure on companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. They need to finish their lunar landers fast. The race to the lunar South Pole is officially on. This flight changed the math for everyone in the industry. We are going back to stay.