NASA's Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, is returning to Earth after a historic lunar flyby. The Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on April 10, 2026, at approximately 8:07 p.m. ET. This mission is significant as it marks the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era ended more than fifty years ago. The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, has undergone extensive training for the reentry phase, which is considered the most technically challenging part of the mission. During reentry, the spacecraft will travel at speeds of 25,000 mph and face temperatures exceeding 5,000°F, leading to a planned communications blackout as it descends through the atmosphere. After this phase, the spacecraft will deploy parachutes to slow its descent before splashdown. The mission aims to gather crucial data to enhance future lunar missions, including Artemis III, which will focus on landing astronauts on the Moon. The successful completion of Artemis II will lay the groundwork for sustained human exploration of lunar and Martian environments.