SCIENCE

San Diego ship to recover Artemis II astronauts Friday

PUBLISHED Apr 7, 2026, 11:46 AM ET

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San Diego. The USS John P. Murtha will deploy to recover the Artemis II astronauts after the Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' is scheduled to splash down off San Diego around 5:07 p.m. PDT on Friday; Navy and NASA confirmed staged recovery teams and shipboard preparations. Recovery teams, including MH-60S helicopters, divers, and small boats, will stage hours earlier; once aboard the Murtha the crew will receive medical evaluations and be flown to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston later that night.

By Shahbaz A. | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

February 2024: NASA and DOD begin joint recovery practice drills off San Diego.
Months leading to splashdown: Navy divers and crews conduct scenario-based training and rig checks.
Three hours before reentry: Recovery teams and aircraft stage in open water to track Orion.
Friday, ~5:07 p.m. PDT: Orion 'Integrity' scheduled to splash down off San Diego.
Immediately after splashdown: Crew recovered to USS John P. Murtha, medically assessed, then flown to Houston.

News Intelligence

This is a big moment for American space exploration. The Artemis II mission marks a new era of crewed lunar missions. It's a testament to human ingenuity and a reminder of our shared quest for knowledge. If you're in the San Diego area, you might even catch a glimpse of the splashdown.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 5
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 5

Who Benefited

NASA, partner agencies, recovery teams aboard USS John P. Murtha, and the scientific community benefit from a coordinated recovery that secures crew safety and collects data for future Artemis missions.

Who Impacted

No injuries or casualties were reported in the articles; recovery personnel face routine operational hazards inherent to maritime and spacecraft recovery operations.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 5
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 5
Distribution:: Left 0%, Center 100%, Right 0%

Who Benefited

Who Impacted

No injuries or casualties were reported in the articles; recovery personnel face routine operational hazards inherent to maritime and spacecraft recovery operations.