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NASA’s Artemis 2 to break speed records with 24,000 MPH Earth re-entry

On April 10, 2026, NASA’s Artemis 2 mission will see astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at a record-breaking speed of 23,840 mph.
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Rocket test proves bacteria survive space launch and re-entry unharmed

A world-first study has proven microbes essential for human health can survive the extreme forces of space launch. Space agencies are planning to send crews to Mars within decades but sustaining life ...

Artemis II's last test: Will its heat shield work?

Excess charring on Artemis I's heat shield had NASA racing to understand what went wrong—and to ensure the technology was ...

Artemis II crew will endure 3,000°C on re‑entry. A hypersonics expert explains how they will survive

Their journey back will culminate in a high-speed, hypersonic and extremely hot re-entry into Earth's atmosphere before their ...
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The Artemis II capsule will be twice as hot as the sun during its re-entry. A hypersonics expert explains how they will survive

A speedy re-entry The Orion capsule carrying the Artemis II astronauts will be travelling at more than 11 km/s (40,000 km/h) when it reaches Earth’s atmosphere. This is 40 times faster than a ...