How to watch the Artemis II crew return to Earth tonight

The Artemis II crew is expected to make its way back to the “Blue Marble” (aka Earth) tonight, and my heart is already in my throat–I can’t wait to witness this historic event. Here’s how it should ultimately play out:

First, the crew will re-enter the earth’s atmosphere at 7:43 p.m. Eastern. This is the most hair-raising part of the return journey because of the intense speed and blackout period, during which there will be no communications for a brief stint of time. Next, they’ll land or “splashdown” in the ocean at 8:07 p.m. Eastern time (5:07 p.m. Pacific). 

If you’re looking to tune in, you’re in luck. There are multiple ways you can watch online.

Where to watch it

NASA’s official website is the place to go for anything to do with the Artemis II mission. You can also watch the landing live on NASA+, which is the program’s dedicated streaming service app. It’s ad-free too, so you won’t get interrupted. 

You can also watch the landing on NASA’s official YouTube channel if you prefer or on other digital platforms like Facebook and X.

What to expect

Coverage will probably begin long before the scheduled landing time, so make sure you tune in sooner rather than later if you’re able. Landing a spacecraft is complicated business, so it could happen later than the intended time.

If streams go kaput

Make sure you have an alternative streaming service ready to go because it’s entirely possible that one stream will get inundated with viewers and go down as a result. Personally? I’d flip between NASA’s website, YouTube, and Facebook. All three should have the same live feed, so you should be able to reconnect quickly.