As of April 9th, 2026, the Artemis II mission is in its final hours of flight. The crew aboard the Orion spacecraft named Integrity are hurling back towards Earth for a scheduled splashdown tomorrow, April 10th at 8:00pm.
Here’s what we know about the mission so far, and how you can keep up with Artemis II right here in the ATL.
The mission of capsule Integrity
Along their journey to the moon, Artemis II gathered the attention of media and curious users alike. From NASA’s live distance tracker to the viral shot of the Earth slipping behind the Moon’s horizon, “the world is looking up.” And understandably so: on Monday, April 6th, the Artemis II crew became the first humans to travel this far into space.
Their new record, set at 252,756 miles from Earth, surpassed Apollo 13’s 56-year-old best by 4,100 miles. And it isn’t the only technical feat they’ve graced us with.
Artemis II is currently conducting the AVATAR investigation (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response), using “organ-on-a-chip” technology to study how deep-space radiation affects human cells in real-time. The crew also used a “free-return trajectory” to return home, whipping themselves around the far side of the Moon to head back to Earth.
While life in space comes with its own set of challenges, the team is making the most of life aboard the 16.5 feet capsule. Mission Specialist Christina Koch compared the living space to a small camper van where they “take in the awesomeness of the far side of the moon” one minute and “dig around for a fresh pair of socks” the next.
The crew: a new era of explorers
In fact, the crew is what truly makes this mission.
Commander Reid Wiseman is an ISS veteran and former Chief of the Astronaut Office, Pilot Victor Glover previously piloted the first operational SpaceX Crew Dragon mission (and is the first person of color to leave low Earth orbit), Mission Specialist Christina Koch holds the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days!), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen is the first non-American to leave the Earth’s orbit — representing Canada’s contribution to the Artemis program.
All of them play an integral part in the mission whose ultimate goal is to land, and establish a human presence, on the lunar surface.
What Happens Next?
Currently, the crew is performing final stowage, preparing the capsule for re-entry. Tomorrow evening, around 8:00pm eastern, the capsule will hit the Earth’s atmosphere enduring temperatures half as hot as the sun, before parachutes deploy for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, off the California coast. U.S. Navy and NASA teams are already set to retrieve capsule Integrity and its crew.
You can keep up with the capsule through NASA’s live tracker, before watching the splashdown on live broadcast via NASA+, starting at 6:30pm eastern on April 10th.
Continue the mission in Atlanta
Artemis II makes its return back to Earth, but you can always keep the momentum going at Space Explorers: THE INFINITE. The immersive exhibit at Pullman Yards takes you through real footage from astronauts who lived on the International Space Station. It’s an emotionally-charged experience with jaw-dropping views of our planet, reminding us that “in all of this emptiness, [we] have this oasis” (Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot).