when does artemis 2 return australia time is the question many are asking after NASA said the Artemis II crew is now more than halfway home. At 10: 53 p. m. ET, Orion fired its thrusters for 9 seconds and pushed the spacecraft farther along its path back toward Earth. NASA is targeting splashdown at 8: 07 p. m. ET Friday, April 10, off the coast of San Diego.
Return burn completed after a brief communications disruption
NASA said the second return correction burn was completed after an unexpected return link loss of signal during a data rate change about two hours earlier. That disruption affected the transmission of communications and telemetry from the spacecraft to the ground, but two-way communications were restored and flight controllers resumed preparing for the burn shortly after. The burn produced an acceleration in velocity of 5. 3 feet per second, helping guide Artemis II closer to Earth.
The mission team has now moved into the next phase of the return sequence, with the crew continuing to stow gear as the spacecraft heads toward re-entry procedures. The timing remains tightly managed, and NASA has framed the operation around a Friday splashdown target rather than a broader window. For anyone tracking when does artemis 2 return australia time, the mission is still set by the same Eastern Time schedule NASA has outlined.
What NASA shared about re-entry planning
NASA officials held a mission status briefing earlier on Flight Day 9 and shared additional information on re-entry and splashdown procedures. a third return trajectory correction burn is scheduled for April 10 at about 1: 53 p. m. ET ahead of re-entry procedures. That burn is part of the final stretch before splashdown, with the spacecraft still under active guidance from mission teams on the ground.
The current timeline gives a clear sequence: correction burn, re-entry preparation, and then splashdown off the California coast. NASA has not indicated any change to the Friday target in the material released so far, and the crew remains on course as the mission progresses through its return operations.
How the timing translates for Australia
Because NASA is using Eastern Time, the headline question of when does artemis 2 return australia time depends on the local time zone difference in Australia. The exact local landing time will vary by city and time zone, but the mission target of 8: 07 p. m. ET Friday, April 10, is the key reference point for viewers in Australia watching the return.
For now, the next major checkpoint is the third return trajectory correction burn at about 1: 53 p. m. ET, followed by the final approach to splashdown. With the crew already more than halfway home, Artemis II is now entering the phase where timing, communications, and trajectory all matter at once.
What comes next for Artemis II
The focus now shifts to the final correction burn, re-entry procedures, and the planned landing off San Diego. NASA says the crew has already resumed the return rhythm after the brief communications issue, and the mission is advancing under the same splashdown target. For those asking when does artemis 2 return australia time, the answer will follow the Friday ET landing window unless NASA updates the plan.
