Artemis 1's Orion capsule to reach Earth soon. See how it will be recovered after splashdown

Artemis 1's Orion capsule is on its way to Earth on Sunday. The capsule has been slowing down from the 25,000 mph speed to around a dozen times faster than a rifle bullet, and it will slow down even more before hitting the sea surface.

The splashdown path of Artemis 1's Orion capsule of NASA
Artemis 1's Orion capsule has completed the 25-and-a-half-day mission. Its speed is slowing down, and the capsule's heat shield will be around 5000 degrees.
The speed will come down to 20 mph before gliding towards the Earth.

The recovery team will be able to access it 50 to 60 nautical miles away from the San Diego coast.
The landing and recovery director, Melissa Jones, said they are frantically trying to get to the capsule and other parts before they sink into the ocean.
The capsule is expected to strike down at 12:40 PM EST on December 11.

The Portland will later transport the capsule to the naval base in San Diego.


The recovery procedure of NASA's capsule
Melissa Jones said the primary splashdown site is closer to a navy base so that the recreational boats will be around.

She said the recovery team would also try to get the three parachutes for analysis. The divers will have to perform a sniff check for hydrazine or ammonia leakage.

The astronauts are advised to report to the medical bay within two hours. Lilian Villareal explained how the astronauts would have to maneuver out of Orion's batch in open water.

FAQs:

1. Who is Melissa Jones?
   Melissa Jones is NASA's capsule recovery director.
2. How big is the capsule?
   The capsule is 11 by 16 ½ feet.