The Artemis II mission is preparing to return to Earth and splashdown at 8 p.m. this evening. Onboard is an essential instrument on the spacecraft designed by a University of Georgia alumnus.
The Orion spacecraft is coming home after launching nine days ago.
The four astronauts on the mission have many technologies monitoring them, including an instrument designed by UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences alumnus, Jeff Pilgrim. The director of UGA’s Atmospheric Sciences Program, James Marshall Shepherd, says this link makes this return all the more special.
“The air quality system inside of Orion was being developed, or was developed by a University of Georgia chemistry scientist, our former student," Shepherd said. "So, there is a special UGA connection to the Artemis mission as we watch it splash down tonight.”
Shepherd says for the spacecraft to return as planned, though, the mission needs specific weather conditions.
“Typically, we want to see seas less than six feet, winds less than 28 miles per hour or so, and no clouds, rainfall or lightning in the area, and it looks like right now those conditions are favorable," Shepherd said.
Shepherd says any adverse weather could make the astronaut’s return unsafe.
“That just adds a degree of difficulty to the support crew that has to respond immediately in a case of an emergency," Shepherd said.
Live streaming of the Artemis II return will start at 6:30 p.m. on NASA+, as well as several other streaming services.
