Home / News / World News / Article /
And the countdown begins! Artemis II crew heads for historic splashdown
Updated On: 10 April, 2026 02:21 PM IST | Houston | mid-day online correspondent
The astronauts, who completed a successful lunar flyby on Tuesday and exited the Moon’s sphere of influence a day later, are now on the homeward leg of their 10-day test flight. On Thursday, they focused on stowing equipment, removing cargo and locker netting, and configuring the cabin for re-entry

The Artemis II crew pose inside the Orion spacecraft as they head back to Earth after looping around the Moon. FILE PIC/AFP
The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission — the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than 50 years — spent Flight Day 9 on Thursday wrapping up activities and preparing for their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.
The crew, comprising Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, began their day aboard the Orion spacecraft with the song ‘Lonesome Drifter’ by Charley Crockett as they sped towards Earth at a distance of about 1,47,337 miles.

