Eyes on Pacific: Global anxiety peaks as Orion returns at 5:37 am

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first humans to journey toward the moon in over half a century are set to return home early this morning. At 5:37 am IST today, April 11, the Orion spacecraft—carrying a four-member exploration team—will splash down in the Pacific Ocean, successfully concluding its ten-day mission.

Launched on April 1, the Artemis 2 mission served as a critical test flight to orbit the moon and pave the way for future lunar landings. To ensure a safe arrival, the US Navy warship USS John P. Murtha is stationed off the coast of San Diego, ready to recover the capsule. Upon re-entry, a series of parachutes will deploy to slow the spacecraft before it hits the water. Navy recovery teams will then work quickly to bring both the astronauts and the Orion capsule safely to shore. With the completion of Artemis 2, NASA moves one step closer to the Artemis 3 mission, which aims to land humans on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.