FL - NASA to launch Artemis II crew on flight around the moon this week - April 2026

[PrairieWind]

Artemis II’s journey back to Earth will likely trigger a “sonic boom” so strong that it could end up rattling windows in parts of Southern California. I'm in San Diego, I'll update you all.

I grew up in the 70's and had air force bases around. We heard sonic booms occasionally. It was wild.

 

[arielilane]

Fist bump!

The Artemis II crew is now under 35,000 miles from Earth. The astronauts are preparing the spacecraft for reentry and the weather is looking good for splashdown.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042685174534504571

Hello, Earth.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042713297942700180

 

[arielilane]

After a journey of more than 690,000 miles, the crew is nearly home.

The Artemis II crew will splash down off the coast of San Diego later today and, though it won’t be visible from land, you can still wave in their general direction to welcome them back to Earth!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042716052245606478

 

[Vaderman]

Started watching NASA's coverage of the return to Earth:

 

[Vaderman]

Fist bump!

The Artemis II crew is now under 35,000 miles from Earth. The astronauts are preparing the spacecraft for reentry and the weather is looking good for splashdown.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042685174534504571

Hello, Earth.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042713297942700180

The images are stunning.

 

[whitelilac]

Watching here:

sorry, already posted.

 

[Chimera]

May Godspeed them safely home !!
What an adventure !

 

[DS2021]

Erin Burnett is live on CNN with some former astronauts

 

[whitelilac]

separation of the module ok....now the raze burn maneuver soon to tilt the module into the angle trajectory

 

[Vaderman]

The separation was cool to see!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042748738624536805

 

[IceIce9]

Entering 6 minute communication blackout.

 

[whitelilac]

Now everyone holds their breath for 6 minutes

 

[whitelilac]

Crazy, I'm actually shivering

 

[Vaderman]

I wonder how much the blackout is due to technical issues and how much the blackout is a precaution "just in case".

 

[IceIce9]

9 minutes to splashdown

 

[whitelilac]

I wonder how much the blackout is due to technical issues and how much the blackout is a precaution "just in case".

It's my understanding they can't communicate anyway with this plasma effect.

 

[Vaderman]

9 minutes to splashdown

38 miles! That's like a long trip to a shopping mall.

 

[whitelilac]

intermittent views...whew!

 

[IceIce9]

Recovery teams have visual

 

[Vaderman]

Back in communication!