Artemis II prepares for splashdown

After a near-flawless 10-day flight, the Orion spacecraft is scheduled to splash down off the coast of Southern California on Friday.

Engineers are closely monitoring the capsule's heat shield, which must withstand temperatures reaching 3,000 degrees Celsius as it hits the atmosphere at 24,000 mph.

The crew, including three Americans and one Canadian, shared emotional reflections on their journey, noting that the borderless view of Earth has profoundly changed their perspectives.

This successful flyby serves as a critical precursor to future crewed lunar landings planned for later this decade.