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Artemis II returns after lunar flyby; Orion set for Pacific splashdown off San Diego

Artemis II's four-person crew is returning to Earth after a historic lunar flyby, carrying more than 175 GB of mission data. Orion is targeting Pacific splashdown off San Diego on Friday, April 10, after astronauts tested spacesuits and manual piloting — a key step toward resuming crewed lunar landings.

Discovered 2026-04-07T21:00:49.043772-07:00 | 2026-04-07T21:00:49.043772-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Demonstrates mission performance and data return: four astronauts completed a lunar flyby and captured more than 175 GB of science and systems data while completing spacesuit and manual‑piloting checks ahead of a planned Pacific splashdown off San Diego on April 10.

  • Advances program risk reduction and schedule recovery: the flight completes an end‑to‑end SLS/Orion campaign that follows the recent SLS/Orion roll to Pad 39B and prior umbilical repairs and fueling validation, resolving near‑term technical hurdles and easing pressure from previously compressed launch windows.

Reported By

Phys.org worldwarwings.com arabiandefence.com san.com Satellite News Network The Space Review
Sources Tracked
264
First Seen
2026-04-07T21:00:49.043772-07:00
Latest Update
2026-04-15T08:35:08.474093-07:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

Hype groups these reports into one evolving story so you can compare coverage without losing the thread.

2026-04-09T14:36:33.004464-07:00

403 Forbidden • Flying Magazine

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