Four NASA astronauts aboard the Artemis II mission are preparing to enter Earth's atmosphere following an unprecedented journey around the far side of the moon, the crew announced during their first press conference from space on Wednesday.
The crew, currently traveling in the Orion capsule, described the upcoming reentry process as a 'fireball' as they begin the final leg of their flight.
After launching from Florida last week, the team reached the moon earlier this week. Their trajectory took them past the shadowed far side of the moon, making them the farthest-flying humans in history.
Return to Earth
The mission is scheduled to conclude with a splashdown off the Southern California coast on Friday evening.
During the Wednesday briefing, the astronauts shared their emotions regarding the conclusion of the mission and the intense physical forces expected during the descent through the atmosphere.
NASA officials and the crew have monitored the spacecraft's progress since it departed Florida. The mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's Artemis program, testing the capabilities of the Orion capsule for deep-space human return.
The crew remains on course for their planned Friday landing, where recovery teams will await the capsule's arrival in the Pacific.
