Artemis II crew returns home

Cmdr.

Reid Wiseman and his crew are scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California, marking the first crewed lunar voyage in over half a century.

The reentry process is considered the most dangerous phase of the mission, as the capsule will hit the atmosphere at speeds exceeding 30 times the speed of sound.

During the descent, the crew will experience a total communication blackout as intense heat creates a plasma field around the spacecraft.

This mission serves as a critical proof-of-concept for future deep-space exploration and the eventual establishment of a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.