The primary astronauts to journey across the Moon in additional than 50 years are coming residence tonight. And when you’re on the California coast, it’s possible you’ll simply catch historical past in individual.
The Orion spacecraft’s four-person crew — the primary astronauts to journey across the Moon in additional than 50 years — will splash down off the coast of San Diego on April 10 at simply previous 8 p.m. EDT / 5:07 p.m. PDT.
After 10 extraordinary days in house that included a lunar flyby breaking each human distance report in historical past, Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Area Company astronaut Jeremy Hansen are lastly coming residence — they usually’re touchdown proper in our yard.
What’s Occurring and When
Right here’s the sequence of occasions main as much as splashdown: At 6:33 p.m. PDT, the crew module separates from the service module. At 6:53 p.m. PDT, the capsule enters the ambiance — and for about six minutes, all communications with the crew will go darkish as excessive warmth creates a plasma layer across the capsule. Then, 11 parachutes will deploy in sequence, slowing the capsule from almost 25,000 mph to simply 20 mph for a delicate touchdown within the Pacific Ocean.
Splashdown is scheduled for about 8:07 p.m. ET — roughly 60 miles off San Diego — climate allowing.
After that, inside two hours of splashdown, the crew shall be flown by helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha, endure medical checks, after which journey again to NASA’s Johnson Area Middle in Houston.
Can You See It From Shore?
The sincere reply: in all probability circuitously — however don’t let that cease you from attempting.
Francisco Contreras, an Oceanside resident and board member of the San Diego Astronomy Affiliation, instructed CBS 8: “I’m going to strive. I’d say, head to the coast. As a result of it’s so excessive up and so far-off, you must be capable of see it from the coast; you don’t need to get near San Clemente, I don’t suppose. So long as you may have a transparent view northwest, that will be your finest likelihood.”
Your finest viewing spots alongside the Southern California coast are any seaside with an unobstructed northwest horizon — Oceanside, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Ocean Seaside, or Level Loma. Look northwest towards the horizon round 5 p.m. PDT and look ahead to what may very well be a vibrant streak of sunshine slicing by way of the sky because the capsule re-enters the ambiance.
Watch Events and Occasions in San Diego
In the event you’d somewhat assure you don’t miss a second of it, San Diego has you lined.
The San Diego Air and Area Museum is internet hosting an Artemis II Splashdown Household PJ Get together beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday. Company will watch the reside broadcast of Orion’s return on an enormous LED display screen within the Pavilion of Flight. The occasion is included with basic admission, and people arriving at 4 p.m. or later get half-price entry.
The Fleet Science Middle in San Diego can be internet hosting ARTEMIS Week by way of Saturday — a collection of limited-time reveals and alternatives to interact with NASA specialists and scientists in celebration of the mission.
How one can Stream It Stay at Dwelling
You don’t want to go away your sofa to witness historical past.
Netflix is streaming the complete splashdown broadcast reside as a part of its NASA+ programming, with protection starting at 3:30 p.m. PDT — no additional subscription required past your present membership.
The published will embody reside commentary from the restoration group, the USS John P. Murtha captain, and Navy divers on standby within the Pacific.
You may also stream reside on NASA’s YouTube channel, NBC Information NOW (free on any gadget), PBS NewsHour, and NASA.gov.
Why Tonight Issues
It’s the first time that NASA and the Protection Division have teamed up for a lunar crew’s reentry since Apollo 17 in December 1972.
All the things about tonight — the Navy restoration operation, the parachute sequence, the warmth defend — is a take a look at run for the lunar landings that comply with. Artemis III will try and land astronauts on the Moon’s south pole as early as subsequent 12 months.
Tonight, for just some minutes at 5:07 p.m., the Pacific Ocean off San Diego would be the middle of the universe.
Don’t miss it. 🌙
Sources: NASA, CBS 8 San Diego, FOX 5 San Diego, Netflix Tudum, Al Jazeera, Area.com, PBS NewsHour, San Diego Air and Area Museum — April 10, 2026
