What Happens After the Artemis II Splashdown: Recovery Steps for Orion 'Integrity'

HOUSTON, Texas — The Artemis II mission, which carried four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft nicknamed Integrity to a record distance from Earth, is now on the return leg and scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego. NASA lists the planned Pacific Ocean splashdown at 5:07 p.m. PST, concluding the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

Recovery is a tightly choreographed operation involving both NASA and U.S. Navy personnel. Teams begin positioning roughly three hours before reentry, staging sea and air assets in the recovery zone to support Orion as it descends through the atmosphere.

ARTEMIS I FILE PHOTO: NASA's unmanned Orion spaceship comes in for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California, Mexico, on December 11, 2022.

Staging and Tracking

Two MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters equipped with NASA imagery systems will track Orion during atmospheric entry and splashdown. Nearby ships, small boats and aircraft will be ready to move quickly to the capsule's location the moment it lands in the water.

"Once we get through splashdown… It's go time for everybody. The ships, the helicopters, the small boats are now just going as fast as they can towards the capsule," said Liliana Villarreal, Artemis II Landing and Recovery Director.

Immediate Post-Splashdown Actions

After Integrity hits the water, the crew will run a post-landing checklist in coordination with NASA Mission Control to secure the spacecraft and initiate the power-down sequence. When power-down is complete and the hatch is opened, a U.S. Navy dive medical officer will be the first recovery official to board and assess the astronauts' condition.

ARTEMIS I FILE PHOTO: U.S. Navy divers attach winch cables to NASA's Orion Capsule of the successful un-crewed Artemis I Moon Mission for capture by the U.S.S. Portland on December 11, 2022, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

Following the initial medical checks, Navy recovery divers will help the crew climb onto Orion's forward platform, commonly called the "front porch." There the astronauts will don Astronaut Recovery Vests and prepare to be hoisted.

Extraction and Ship Transfer

The four crew members are expected to be lifted by two HSC-23 helicopters and flown to the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha. Once the crew is safe aboard the Murtha, recovery teams will shift focus to retrieving and securing the Orion capsule.

NASA's Orion Capsule floats on the well deck of the U.S.S. Portland during recovery operations after it splashed down after a successful un-crewed Artemis I Moon Mission on December 11, 2022, seen from aboard the U.S.S. Portland in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

Securing the Capsule

Recovery personnel rehearsed extensively for this phase, conducting a dozen Underway Recovery Tests (URTs) to refine procedures and select the best approach. Teams will attach a winch line and tow Orion to the Murtha's aft weld deck area. Water is then drained from the weld deck and the capsule is secured in place — a milestone Villarreal described as critical for completing the recovery.

NASA has also highlighted the importance of the heat shield for a safe return and says it is confident prior issues have been addressed for Artemis II.

With these steps completed, the astronauts will receive further medical checks and debriefing, and teams will begin processing the spacecraft for transport and inspection.