Artemis II prepares for Pacific splashdown

After traveling nearly 700,000 miles and reaching a record distance from Earth, the Artemis II crew is entering the final and most dangerous phase of their mission.

The capsule will hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, generating intense heat that must be managed by its three-inch thermal shield.

Recovery teams from the U.S. Navy are already in position off the California coast to retrieve Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.

This mission marks the first crewed lunar flight in over half a century, paving the way for future Mars exploration.