Good morning, and thank you for joining us as NASA’s Artemis II mission makes its return to Earth.

The four astronauts, having ventured farther from our planet than any humans in history, are gearing up for their re-entry into the atmosphere, which promises to be a spectacular “fireball” event.

During their descent, they will reach speeds approaching 40,000 kilometers per hour as they penetrate Earth’s atmosphere.

This critical phase of the mission poses significant risks, as it will rigorously test the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield against severe atmospheric friction.

The crew is scheduled to land in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, shortly after 8 PM local time on Friday (10 AM on Saturday AEST).

Stay tuned for updates as we cover the latest developments.

The Artemis II astronauts have set a new distance record from Earth, surpassing the previous mark established by Apollo 13 in 1970.

As the crew aboard the Orion prepares for their return, they are on track to make their splashdown in the Pacific.

Follow our live blog for the most current updates.