00:04Hello, and welcome to Global Pulse News.
00:08All eyes are on the Artemis II crew.
00:11The Orion spacecraft is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday,
00:16following the astronauts return from the moon.
00:20But weather conditions will play a critical role
00:23in determining exactly when and where the crew can land off the west coast.
00:28Just one week ago, the world watched the countdown to Artemis II's historic launch,
00:35the first crewed lunar flyby in decades.
00:39Thankfully, Florida's weather cooperated for liftoff,
00:43and forecasters expect similar bud fortune for the astronauts' homecoming.
00:48Now for the recovery of the Orion capsule in the Pacific,
00:52several strict criteria must be met.
00:54First, wave heights must stay below 6 feet, winds no greater than 28 miles per hour.
01:03Forecasters also require clear visibility, minimal cloud cover,
01:08and no rain or thunderstorms, including lightning, within 35 miles of the splashdown zone.
01:15NASA has chosen a recovery area roughly 50 to 80 miles off the coast of San Diego.
01:22This buffer zone gives meteorologists the flexibility to ensure a safe re-entry,
01:28and allows ground crews to retrieve the capsule without issue.
01:33A Pacific storm system is now approaching the west coast,
01:37raising the chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm near San Diego.
01:42A cold front will also linger just offshore on Friday.
01:47But here's the good news.
01:49As of Wednesday, conditions during the splashdown window remain favorable.
01:54The splashdown is scheduled for 5.07 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on April 10th.
02:01Just before that time, the crew will re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
02:06Minutes later, after a high-speed descent, the Orion capsule will land in the Pacific Ocean.
02:13Several parachutes will slow the spacecraft to roughly 17 miles per hour upon impact.
02:20Residents along the San Diego coast may hear a sonic boom as the spacecraft re-enters.
02:27NASA will confirm the exact landing time and approximate location on Thursday.
02:33That's the latest. Stay tuned.
02:35tutel.
02:38I'll see you in the next episode.
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