NASA's Artemis II crew returns to Earth

"The Orion spacecraft, named Integrity by the crew, reentered Earth's atmosphere at nearly 25,000 miles per hour and withstood temperatures of up to about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit as it plummeted to Earth."

"This is a perfect descent for Integrity, said NASA public affairs officer Rob Navias, adding, Everything is in great shape and we have four healthy crew members on board."

"During this period, superhot plasma built up and engulfed the spacecraft as it fell, causing mission control in Houston to lose contact with the crew for about six minutes, as expected, before regaining communication."

NASA's Artemis II mission concluded successfully as the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The crew, including astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, reentered Earth's atmosphere at nearly 25,000 miles per hour. The spacecraft withstood extreme temperatures and deployed parachutes to slow its descent. NASA officials confirmed the crew's health and the mission's success, highlighting the critical moments during reentry when communication was temporarily lost due to superhot plasma.

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