A fiery go back from the Moon meets a wonderfully timed ocean rescue in NASA’s high-stakes Artemis II finale.

Liftoff! NASA’s Artemis II venture introduced on April 1, 2026, sporting 4 Moonbound astronauts. After an roughly 10-day venture, Artemis II ends with a touch. Lili Villarreal, the restoration and touchdown director for Artemis II, leads the crew that may carry the astronauts and their spacecraft house. She describes the restoration playbook, which contains many contingency plans, and the rehearsals that experience ready her crew for the venture.

PADI BOYD: You’re listening to NASA’s Curious Universe. I’m Padi Boyd.

JACOB PINTER: And I’m Jacob Pinter. NASA is headed to the Moon!

DERROL NAIL (NASA Communications): … and liftoff! The workforce of Artemis II now sure for the Moon. Humanity’s subsequent nice voyage starts.

PADI: As this episode comes out, 4 astronauts are in area on a check flight.

Mission Keep an eye on: Integrity, GPS Processing.

REID WISEMAN: Exceptional, Stan. We see the similar and we’ve an attractive Moonrise. We’re headed proper at it.

PADI: Their venture is named Artemis II. They’re going to fly across the Moon and set the level for long term Artemis missions when astronauts go back to the Moon’s floor.

VICTOR GLOVER: We’re going for our households.

CHRISTINA KOCH: We’re going for our teammates.

JEREMY HANSEN: We’re going for all humanity.

REID WISEMAN: All proper Charlie, your Artemis II workforce is opt for release. Complete ship.

PADI: Artemis can even construct upon the root we’ve laid and get ready us for the primary human adventure to Mars.

[Music: Supercluster by Sergey Azbel]

JACOB: On earlier episodes of Curious Universe, we’ve offered you to the astronauts and to one of the many of us who make this venture conceivable. Now we have much more to come. All over the venture and after it ends, we will be able to carry you NASA’s legit protection. You’ll pay attention highlights from release, milestones because the astronauts take a look at their spacecraft, and main points of the astronauts’ flight across the Moon.

PADI: On this episode: get to know the crew that may meet the astronauts after they go back to Earth. After an roughly 10-day voyage, Artemis II will finish when it splashes down within the Pacific Ocean and a boat choices up the astronauts and their spacecraft.

So how does NASA stick the touchdown? We’ll move within the playbook for the general step of the venture and listen to how NASA brings the astronauts and their spacecraft again house.

The general step of Artemis II is intense.

[Music: Eagle Eye by Paul Richard O’Brien and Theo Maximilian Goble]

Once they fly previous the Moon, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen spend a number of days heading again to Earth. After which issues occur speedy.

JACOB: Their spacecraft, which is named Orion, is touring about 25,000 miles an hour when it starts to really feel the results of Earth’s environment. That’s greater than 40,000 kilometers an hour or speedy sufficient to fly from New York to Tokyo in not up to 20 mins. Friction from the ambience creates temperatures of just about 5,000 levels Fahrenheit. Superheated plasma builds up across the spacecraft inside seconds.

PADI: Orion has a warmth defend that protects the pill right through re-entry. It’s designed to shed that intense warmth, however because it sails in the course of the environment, Orion in brief loses verbal exchange, and the astronauts see flashes of plasma dance outdoor the home windows.

On December 11, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft reentered the ambience after finishing a 1.4 million-mile, 25.5-day Artemis I venture to the Moon. Credit score: NASA

JACOB: At the moment, you’re listening to what that if truth be told seemed like on Artemis I. This can be a recording from within the spacecraft right through a check flight of Orion with no person on board. As Orion descends, a series of parachutes slows it down. There are 11 parachutes in all. They deploy in phases, at explicit issues right through Orion’s descent.

PADI: By the point it reaches Earth’s floor, Orion is touring not up to 20 miles an hour. After which the astronauts splash down within the Pacific Ocean. That’s when the restoration crew takes over. NASA mavens, operating along with staff from the USA Army, get the astronauts out of the water and onto a Army send ready close by.

JACOB: After all, the crew handiest will get one shot to do that accurately, and the security of the astronauts may well be at the line. So the restoration crew has educated broadly. They’ve executed portions of this sooner than. Within the Artemis I venture in 2022, NASA flew an uncrewed spacecraft across the Moon after which recovered it from the sea. There were much more rehearsals main up to Artemis II. Here’s a little little bit of what that coaching feels like:

[Music: Dreamweaver by Adam Richard Joseph Lyons, Paul James Visser, David James Ferguson, and Joseph Barboza III]

[Unidentified voice talking over loudspeaker]

CODY KELLY [INTERVIEW FROM URT-11]: I used to be on board for Artemis I restoration wherein there used to be no workforce, and the sensation used to be electrical.

ROB NAVIAS [ARTEMIS I SPLASHDOWN COVERAGE]: And there it’s, excessive over the Pacific: Orion below its chutes, descending against splashdown.

CODY: You’re in this, the send getting in a position to get well a pill that simply went across the Moon.

ROB: Orion in the easiest orientation for splashdown, simply seconds away.

CODY: And now it’s much more necessary, as a result of those are our buddies, our colleagues, and those who we’ve helped educate and paintings with.

ROB: A thousand ft. Excellent descent charge.

CODY: I do know a number of of the astronauts which are in this venture, so it’s a lot more private. It’s in point of fact bringing our A-game to mainly our Tremendous Bowl of touchdown and restoration.

ROB: 500 ft.

CODY: This workforce and this crew has been operating for over a decade to absolute best the ones processes and the ones ways, they usually must know that after they come again from the Moon on Artemis II that they’re going to be safely recovered.

ROB: Splashdown.

[Sound of cheers from Artemis I recovery]

[Sound of helicopters from URT-10]

CODY: Believe in us and know that you just’re in just right palms.

ROB: From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the most recent bankruptcy of NASA’s adventure to the Moon comes to a detailed. Orion again on Earth.

Unidentified voices from URT-10: We’re Artemis!

PADI: The ones voices you heard have been Rob Navias from NASA Communications, narrating splashdown from the uncrewed Artemis I venture in 2022, and Cody Kelly, who works in NASA’s Search and Rescue Mission Office. Cody used to be talking right through a practice session known as an Underway Recovery Test, or URT in NASA jargon.

JACOB: There were 12 of those exams, each and every time getting just a little extra sophisticated. To make issues sensible, NASA even constructed a stand-in of the Orion pill. It floats within the ocean, and NASA can check it like the true factor. That stand-in is formally known as the Staff Module Check Article. The restoration procedure takes an enormous crew effort, and I sought after to be told extra about NASA’s plan from the chief of that crew.

LILI VILLARREAL: So my title is Liliana Villarreal. I’m going by way of Lili. Now, when you’re in point of fact, in point of fact just right at announcing it in Spanish, “Villarreal.”

JACOB: Lili is NASA’s touchdown and restoration director for Artemis II. Her objective is obvious: get the astronauts and Orion again safely. Now, we’re going to get into the main points about how NASA plans to do this, but if managing the ones main points is your duty, Lili says it weighs on you.

LILI: I don’t suppose I’m going to sleep the day sooner than touchdown. It’s simply the character of the process. You’re in order that apprehensive about the whole thing, and you need to be certain that, “Did I do that? Is the apparatus in a position? Are the folk in a position?” However you comprehend it simply comes with the process. Nevertheless it makes the process thrilling.

PADI: Lili has labored at NASA for just about 20 years. She’s worn many alternative hats, however she if truth be told didn’t hunt down the process of restoration director. For Artemis I, she used to be a deputy at the crew that places in combination the rocket and will get it in a position for release. After which, simply a few weeks sooner than Artemis I introduced in 2022, her boss used to be in search of a brand new restoration director.

LILI: Instantly simply requested me, “Hiya are you able to do that process?” I’m like, “What do you imply? I’m in point of fact pleased with my process.” And, you already know, I had to take a just right week to come to a decision whether or not I sought after the process or no longer. It’s extra duty than what I had, and 2d of all is such a lot commute concerned with this process and the duty of rescue, this time with workforce. Artemis I used to be just a little other. You simply have to get well the automobile. Artemis II and past, we’re no longer simply getting better the automobile, we also are getting the workforce from after they come again from area. So it used to be a frightening choice, and I had to communicate it over with my circle of relatives as a result of all of the commute that will be concerned. And it used to be most probably the most efficient choice. I in point of fact, in point of fact in point of fact love this process. This process has been one of the crucial funnest, toughest jobs I’ve had at NASA.

JACOB: Lili goes to stroll us via one of the questions that make this a amusing, onerous process. Her crew has a playbook full of Plan Bs and Plan Cs. NASA calls those contingencies: What occurs if the astronauts abort the venture proper after release? What occurs in the event that they land off route? What occurs if they may be able to’t open the hatch they usually’re caught within the spacecraft?

Lili has to have a solution for all of those questions. However let’s get started with Plan A.

[Music: No Room for Error by Paul Richard O’Brien and Theo Maximilian Goble]

PADI: The restoration crew is based totally in San Diego. Orion shall be aiming for the Pacific Ocean. As soon as the Artemis II venture managers resolve precisely the place it’s going to land, the restoration crew sails to the touchdown house on a Army send.

JACOB: There’s a advanced choreography, together with groups of small boats, open-water divers from the Army, and 4 helicopters circling the realm.

LILI: Principally about two hours sooner than splashdown, all of our belongings at the moment are within the water. The helicopters additionally shall be within the air about one hour sooner than. The best factor I feel is the ones 8 mins, the remaining 8 mins sooner than it splashes down are probably the most loopy time and such a lot stuff is going on.

PADI: As Orion will get nearer, the restoration crew tracks its location. Two of the helicopters have particular imaging apparatus. That is helping the restoration crew control the parachutes. To free up the primary phases of parachutes, Orion mainly fires them out of a cannon. Because the parachutes pop out, so does one of the subject material full of them. For instance, the luggage the parachutes have been packed in fall about 20,000 ft into the sea.

JACOB: The restoration crew has to watch out. They want to keep out of the best way of that particles. As Orion makes its ultimate method, 3 orange-and-white parachutes lend a hand it make a comfortable touchdown. Additionally, Orion has GPS, despite the fact that the sign gets knocked out by way of superheated plasma, and it’s going to have to be reacquired. So Lili’s crew must have real-time details about its location.

PADI: By the point Orion lands, the divers and helicopters shall be about two miles away.

LILI: On the time it splashes down, we if truth be told wait just a little bit as a result of there’s numerous particles that will get jettisoned as a part of the collection of opening up all of the parachutes and slowing the automobile down. That particles could be very bad to helicopters, and in addition staff at the floor. So we’ve to be at a place some distance sufficient from the splashdown website in order that particles doesn’t fall on us. We calculate the place that—how some distance that distance is in response to climate, since the winds have an effect on how the particles falls down.

PADI: Subsequent the restoration crew wishes to be certain that it’s protected to method Orion. They name this a danger evaluate. Orion’s cooling device makes use of ammonia. You don’t need to breathe that during. And there may well be different bad chemical compounds within the air too.

JACOB: The restoration crew measures the air high quality across the spacecraft. They if truth be told name this a sniff check. After crossing off a couple of different pieces at the tick list, it’s time to give the astronauts their first contemporary air in about 10 days.

LILI: So now we all know that we will be able to move forward and open the hatch to move inside of and get started doing scientific checks at the workforce. And if the whole thing’s just right, everyone will get a thumbs up, alright, let’s move forward and egress the workforce. Whilst the scientific docs are within the pill assessing the workforce, the Army divers are outdoor getting ready for the workforce egress.

JACOB: “Egress” is simply the phrase NASA makes use of for “getting the astronauts out of there.” Area does bizarre issues to human our bodies. You’ll be told extra about that—and the way Artemis II will find out about the results of deep area on astronauts—in another episode of this sequence. You’ll to find that on your podcast feed.

[Music: On Track by Adam Richard Joseph Lyons and Robin James Twelftree]

PADI: As they re-adjust to Earth’s gravity, it can be tough for the astronauts to stroll on their very own, let by myself climb out of a spacecraft bobbing within the ocean. However Lili’s crew is there to lend a hand. In entrance of Orion’s hatch, they pop open an inflatable raft known as the entrance porch. That’s the place the astronauts look forward to their experience again to the send floating close by.

LILI: So now we’ve got rid of this workforce. Now they’re sitting within the entrance porch. You recognize, they’re of their fits. We give the move to move forward and hoist them at the helicopters. And as soon as on the send, the scientific crew will meet the workforce, do their evaluate after which take them to the med bay for a last checkout. And mainly the entire complete workforce restoration section is finished. And now we’re operating on getting better the automobile.

PADI: Lili’s ultimate activity is to carry again Orion too. And that is the place the Army in point of fact flexes some muscle.

JACOB: The send on the heart of this operation has a compartment known as a smartly deck. The smartly deck is kind of like a storage within the send that may lift different vessels. Operators connect a winch to Orion and slowly reel it in. As soon as Orion is safely within the send, the process is finished. It’s time to head house.

LILI: So it must be a handy guide a rough go back and forth again to San Diego. We most probably may just get there a couple of hours when we get everyone on board, so we’ll see. You recognize, we by no means know the place we’re going to land. It’s all up to the in response to the day of touchdown and the elements.

JACOB: So of that procedure, what’s the maximum difficult section? Like, is there a step in there the place you’re like, this one’s difficult?

LILI: I feel the largest step for me that I’m going to be extra apprehensive about, ensuring that that we noticed 3 parachutes. If we don’t see 3 parachutes, there’s numerous contingency occasions that we’re going to be doing. The second is that danger evaluate. Are we just right? Is the automobile protected for us to method it? If it’s no longer, then we’ve in point of fact much more different paintings to move do. The 3rd one is, did that hatch open like we anticipated it to open? Or is the hatch no longer operating, however we’ve an alternative approach to get into the pill? So I feel the ones are by way of my 3 greatest milestones. After I see that workforce within the helicopter it’s going to be slightly the sigh of reduction, you already know.

JACOB: Smartly I’d like to ask you about some contingencies you’re making plans for if that’s OK. So one that you simply discussed, if all 3 parachutes don’t open, like …?

LILI: We will land safely with two.

JACOB: OK.

LILI: Yeah. However you already know, it could be just a little extra of an have an effect on to the workforce on two parachutes, however we’re touchdown in water, which must lend a hand some. However undoubtedly that’s why we’ve 3, proper? Contingency. We apprehensive about, you already know, ensuring the automobile, as soon as it comes via access has got GPS, as it in point of fact orients itself to the touchdown location that we instructed it to land. In order that’s why we’re to this point again, simply in case it didn’t achieve GPS, in order that we don’t by chance move to the place we shouldn’t be. We increase what’s known as restoration choice criterias. So restoration choice criterias move in impact in case of an anomaly or a subject matter that we watch for might be able to occur, and the wonder about RDCs is we paintings the ones forward of time. We in NASA train for the worst, however, you already know, we decrease the chance in order that the whole thing is going nominally. However you at all times need to train—over, over-prepare, and that’s what our RDCs are. They’re authorized forward of time. Prior to we land we’ve all of those RDCs. We’re most probably going to have about 50 of them the place, if this occurs, that is what we’ll do. And so—and we educate for all the ones situations, and simply to make certain that we’re in a position for what comes out of. So, yeah, contingency preparation is a huge a part of our process sooner than touchdown. If the whole thing is going nominally, it’s lovely a run of the mill operation, and we wish it to be uninteresting as a result of we follow and follow and follow, and if the rest is going smartly, it’s like, Oh, wow. It must be uninteresting. The entirety must move smartly. We adore uninteresting.

JACOB: How are you checking out for the true factor? How are you simulating it?

LILI: That’s a just right query. I feel we’re very fortunate within the touchdown and restoration crew that you already know we had the backing to make certain that we check it such as you fly. And we’ve a pill that we constructed. It’s known as the CMTA, Staff Module Check Article. So the CMTA looks as if—and we successfully name her Vader.

JACOB: Ooh.

LILI: Sure. We if truth be told did a real rite the place we, you already know, broke a champagne glass as a result of, you already know, we would have liked the nice good fortune, as a result of she is technically a vessel, and we name her “she”, even supposing it’s known as Vader, as a result of they’re all have to be women folk. So anyhow, CMTA is our child, and we do numerous Underway Restoration Exams with the army. We actually simulate the precise factor that we will be able to do. We move out for seven days and we follow, follow, follow. There’s a lot we do to make certain that we’re doing it as sensible as conceivable. Couple of items that we will be able to’t do is the parachutes coming down. Plus we don’t know what the wave prerequisites are going to be, however we attempt to simulate up to we in all probability can.

JACOB: I interviewed each and every of the 4 workforce participants, and I requested each and every of them to shout out a crew that they’ve labored with that they particularly respect. And Victor Glover stated particularly the restoration crew.

LILI: Aw.

JACOB: And his precise phrases have been, that’s “a large dang deal” to get them house safely.

LILI: Oh, it’s. It’s. This is the reason I had to consider taking this process. The duty—it doesn’t matter what this is a crew effort, however I’m the only in the end liable for all of it. I’m the person who sooner or later has to rise up and say why my crew failed or why didn’t. So it’s in point of fact—and I’ll inform you, I’ve by no means noticed this type of nice crew. Everyone loves the process. Everyone desires to be there. Everyone sacrifices. We’re—those are very lengthy days, lengthy hours, bodily challenging days for us. The can-do perspective of everyone on this crew is astounding. I really like this crew. And in case you have individuals who love what they’re doing and feature this can-do perspective, it’s simply, you already know, by way of osmosis, it spreads to everyone. However in point of fact respect you telling me that. We adore the crew, and I’m satisfied to pay attention that.

JACOB: Is it traumatic having that duty?

LILI: Sure. I feel I’ve elderly considerably. I’ve extra white hair. Sure. That is—I will be able to inform you sooner than URT-10, I slightly slept each and every night time as a result of I didn’t know if we have been going to achieve success or no longer. And when I were given via 10—10 used to be in point of fact onerous, as a result of that is the primary time we have been doing numerous first-time operations. After which 11 used to be the primary time the workforce used to be coming. And I’m simply a type of those who at all times thinks about what’s the worst that might be able to occur, which is a superb factor, as it prepares me for making choices genuine fast. Choice pace is so necessary on this process.

JACOB: Do you be mindful on every occasion it become transparent to you, “NASA’s going again to the Moon, and I’m going to be a part of it”? Used to be there, like a second that it caught on your mind?

LILI: You recognize, I labored space station for the longest time, and so I used to be an area station particular person. I more or less got here in about a few years sooner than we began processing Artemis I. I’m an ops particular person via and thru. I love operating with the flight {hardware}, and I’m no longer a affected person particular person. So it took some time to get to the nice portions of operations the place it’s like, Oh my god, we’ve the whole thing right here, and we’re beginning to put the whole thing in combination. And each day is a distinct day. Each day we’ve to work out, OK, what took place? How are we going to clear up it? That’s the joys section about being an engineer out right here. And I feel Artemis I used to be large in getting other people to see the growth and getting at the back of. And when Artemis II launches with other people, and, you already know, you get started getting the ones reside feeds of the workforce, you already know, appearing the Moon at the back of them, in the course of the window, they’re simply going to be much more excited. So we’re all rooting for each and every check that occurs. I even considered getting a[n] Artemis tattoo.

JACOB: Yeah?

LILI: You recognize, I don’t have tattoos, however handiest as a result of I would like one, and I by no means have discovered one thing that I’d be at liberty seeing on my frame for the remainder of my lifestyles. After which I’m like, Oh my God, I in point of fact love the brand. And since I really like what I’m doing. I really like this program. I feel it’s an incredible factor that we’re doing for humanity, as it’s going to higher humanity, and it’s a stepping stone to sooner or later us residing in different worlds. And I am getting to be a part of that. You get to be a part of that. How cool is that?

[Music: Background Story by Peter Larsen]

JACOB: If you have to give the workforce one remaining message—like they get in Orion, you get to whisper one thing of their ear. What would you inform them?

LILI: That’s a very easy one. I would like to inform them that, you already know, we’ll be there whilst you land. We’ll be looking forward to you.

[Music: Inner Peace by JC Lemay]

PADI: That is NASA’s Curious Universe—an legit NASA podcast. Our Artemis II sequence used to be written and produced by way of Christian Elliott and Jacob Pinter. Our govt manufacturer is Katie Konans. Wes Buchanan designed the display artwork for this sequence. Tune for the sequence comes from Common Manufacturing Tune.

JACOB: We had enhance all through this sequence from Rachel Kraft, Lisa Allen, Lora Bleacher, Brandi Dean, Courtney Beasley, Amber Jacobson, and Thalia Patrinos. For this episode, we had further lend a hand from Madison Tuttle and Kenna Pell.

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