Mission Control
The crew guides Orion home while re-entry preparation and systems monitoring continue.
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Phase
Return Coast
Elapsed
T+06:16:57:11
Earth Dist
210,000 km
Velocity
1.2 km/s
Moon Dist
188,000 km
Mission Clock
Day 7 of 10 — Return Coast
T+06:16:57:11
Mission Status
Day 7 of 10
Current event
Closest lunar approach
Artemis II is at the lunar flyby.
Coverage
Re-entry and splashdown coverage
Re-entry, parachute sequence, splashdown, and recovery coverage.
Quick Navigation
Move through the mission stack fast
Timeline Preview
2026-04-01 16:00:00 UTC
Launch
SLS lifts Orion from Kennedy Space Center and carries the Artemis II crew into orbit.
Launch validates the integrated stack under crewed conditions and turns years of ground testing into real mission execution.
Featured Reading
Mission logs and explainers
2026-04-10 · evergreen
Why Splashdown Is a Mission-Critical Phase
Why the last hours of Artemis II matter as much as the launch and flyby, from re-entry loads to recovery operations.
2026-04-06 · evergreen
How Artemis II's Lunar Flyby Trajectory Works
An explainer on the free-return style trajectory, why the Moon bends Orion home, and what makes the flyby strategically important.
2026-04-05 · mission-day
Mission Day 5: Why the Translunar Coast Matters
A mid-mission analysis of the translunar coast and the systems checks that make Artemis II credible.