CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In just about 48 hours, the four grave souls who’ve now flown farther away from the Earth than anyone are set to splash down capping off a human spaceflight mission for the ages.
It was just last Wednesday, April 1, when millions watched Artemis II launch.
This Wednesday, your Cape Canaveral Community Correspondent James Sparvero went back to Kennedy Space Center to watch NASA’s livestream of the crew’s return as one of the most dangerous parts of the mission is still ahead.
In a press conference, acting deputy associate administrator Lakiesha Hawkins said things continue to go according to plan.
“And the mission continues to go well as the crew prepares to transition back to Earth,” Hawkins said.
CBS space expert Bill Harwood called the mission a big success so far.
“I think it’s gone as good or better than anyone could have expected,” Harwood said.
Harwood and Sparvero have talked extensively about what’s expected to be the most nerve-wracking part about the crew’s continuing flight home - re-entry when all eyes will be on the capsule’s heatshield.
“No doubt, it’ll be a few nervous moments,” Harwood said.
With temperatures during heating up to 5,000 degrees, re-entry will be the moment of truth for Orion’s heatshield, which because parts of it cracked during the Artemis I re-entry in 2022, some industry experts have gone as far to argue it’s not safe for crew.
NASA has stood by its investigation and corrective action to re-enter the atmosphere on a safer path.
“And they’re convinced that as they come in, they will not experience those kinds of problems that they did the first time around,” Harwood said.
“The team is turning our attention to the return and getting the crew safely home,” Hawkins said.
Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean is expected Friday around 8 p.m.
Coverage of the final days of the mission will continue on News 6 on ClickOrlando.com.