Artemis II is officially on its way back home!

After completing a historic journey around the far side of the Moon, NASA’s Orion spacecraft has now left the Moon’s gravitational pull and is heading straight toward Earth. Using a carefully planned free-return path, the crew didn’t need major engine burns—the Moon itself helped redirect them back home.

Traveling at incredible speeds, the astronauts are now preparing for one of the most intense phases of the mission: reentry. Inside the capsule, final system checks and physical prep are underway as they get ready to face the extreme heat and forces of Earth’s atmosphere.

With splashdown expected on April 10 in the Pacific Ocean, this mission marks humanity’s long-awaited return to deep space exploration after more than 50 years—and it’s just the beginning of what comes next.