NASA Monitors Pacific Storm as Artemis II’s Orion Prepares for Promising Earth Return

Anticipation surrounds the return of the Artemis II crew as their Orion spacecraft is scheduled to land in the Pacific Ocean this Friday. The precise timing and location of the splashdown will heavily depend on the prevailing weather conditions off the West Coast.

Just last week, the global audience eagerly awaited the launch of Artemis II, marking the first time in decades that humans have been sent to orbit the Moon. The successful liftoff from Florida’s coast benefited from favorable weather, and similar conditions are hoped for as the astronauts make their way back to Earth.

The safe recovery of the Orion spacecraft hinges on specific weather criteria in the Pacific. Ideal conditions include wave heights kept under 6 feet and wind speeds not exceeding 28 mph.

Additionally, forecasters are looking for good visibility and minimal cloud cover, ensuring that there is no rain or thunderstorm activity, such as lightning, within a 35-mile radius of the designated splashdown area.

Forecasters want good visibility and minimum cloud cover, which also means no rain or thunderstorm activity, including lightning, within 35 miles of the splashdown site.

The splashdown location will be off the coast of San Diego. NASA is looking at an area about 50 to 80 miles offshore for the splashdown location. This gives forecasters a window of time and location to ensure the Orion crew is safe during reentry and that crews on the ground can retrieve the capsule.

There is an increasing chance for showers and possibly a thunderstorm near San Diego as a Pacific storm system begins to approach the West Coast.

A cold front will even be just offshore of California on Friday. Thankfully, the conditions expected for the splashdown window remain favorable.

As of Wednesday, the splashdown time of the Orion capsule off the California coast is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. PDT on April 10, and the forecast is expected to cooperate.

The crew will enter Earth’s atmosphere just before the top of the hour and then land in the Pacific Ocean minutes later during its high-speed reentry.

The spacecraft will eventually slow down to roughly 17 mph when it lands in the ocean, thanks to the deployment of several parachutes.

Residents near the coast of San Diego might also hear a sonic boom as the spacecraft enters the atmosphere.

NASA will confirm the exact landing time and approximate location on Thursday.