04/09/2026
NASA’s Artemis II mission is preparing for one of the most intense parts of space travel… reentry.
The spacecraft is expected to hit Earth’s atmosphere at around 25,000 miles per hour while enduring temperatures close to 5,000 degrees. During this phase, communication systems will temporarily cut out for about 4 minutes due to the intense heat and plasma surrounding the capsule.
This blackout period is a known and expected part of reentry, but it’s still one of the most nerve wracking moments for both astronauts and mission control, as there’s no way to communicate until the signal returns.
