Artemis II crew safely returns to Earth

UPDATE (6:07 p.m.) -- Orion has splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at the expected time of 8:07 p.m. ET, marking an end to the crew's historic 10-day, 685,000-mile journey around the moon and back.

The Artemis II crew is set to return to Earth, splashing down off the coast of California Friday.

NASA's Artemis II mission lifted off on April 1 at 4:35 p.m. from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The four-person crew is on a 10-day journey around the moon.

Splashdown is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. Friday.