13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II Artemis II: 13. Splashdown
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Apr 11, 2026 
Rebecca Morelle, BBC News Science Editor reporting from Mission Control. Anna Fisher, former NASA astronaut and physician who flew on the Space Shuttle. They recount Orion Integrity’s splashdown and crew status. They describe parachute drama, heat shield inspection and recovery procedures. They reflect on public reaction, mission design choices and what comes next for Orion.
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Mission Control Fell Silent During Blackout
- Rebecca Morelle described the silence and tension in Mission Control during the blackout and the huge collective relief when Reid's voice returned.
- She noted extra tension watching the drogue chutes stay deployed for a long minute before the three mains fully inflated.
Simple Comms Can Slow Recovery
- The satellite phone and comms handover delayed crew egress, reminding that simple systems can be mission-critical even with advanced deep-space tech.
- Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Kristin Fisher noted the sat-phone issue stretched the recovery timeline despite rehearsals.
Recovered Capsule Yields Crucial Data
- NASA will closely inspect Orion's recovered hardware, especially the heat shield and satcom links, to confirm performance and diagnose any anomalies.
- Rebecca said teams will scour the spacecraft surface and telemetry once the capsule was aboard ship.