内容来源：https://www.geekwire.com/2026/artemis-2-moon-watch-splashdown/

内容总结：

NASA“阿尔忒弥斯2号”载人绕月任务即将返航，关键13分钟再入大气层引全球关注

美国国家航空航天局（NASA）的“阿尔忒弥斯2号”载人绕月测试任务已进入最后阶段。在完成一系列月球轨道测试后，搭载四名宇航员的“猎户座”飞船正加速返回地球，预计将于北京时间本周六清晨在加利福尼亚州海岸附近的太平洋海域溅落。

此次任务标志着自1972年“阿波罗17号”以来，人类首次重返月球轨道。宇航员团队由指令长里德·怀斯曼、飞行员维克多·格洛弗、任务专家克里斯蒂娜·科赫以及加拿大宇航员杰里米·汉森组成。他们在为期10天的飞行中，对“猎户座”飞船的系统进行了全面测试，为计划于2028年前后实施的载人登月任务奠定基础。

返航过程充满挑战，其中最关键的阶段是从飞船开始进入大气层到溅落之间的约13分钟。飞行员格洛弗在与国会代表团进行天地通话时描述：“我们将以近40倍音速冲入大气层，然后减速至每小时20英里的速度溅落太平洋。防热罩和降落伞必须完美工作，才能让我们平稳减速。”

任务飞行主管杰夫·拉迪甘在简报会上将这一过程与2012年“好奇号”火星车经历的“恐怖七分钟”相提并论，并强调：“实际上，从再入开始到溅落，有一个半小时的环节都必须准确无误。”

再入过程具体时间表（太平洋时间）显示，飞船将于下午4点53分以“跳跃式再入”机动方式接触大气层上层，此举旨在优化减速并更均匀地分散热量。期间，飞船周围空气温度将升至约5000华氏度，形成电离等离子体层导致通讯中断约6分钟。随后，飞船将在不同高度依次抛离前舱盖、展开减速伞与主降落伞，最终于下午5点07分溅落。

回收团队将在两小时内将宇航员从舱内转移至直升机，送往“约翰·P·默撒号”两栖运输舰进行医疗评估，随后返回休斯顿约翰逊航天中心。

值得注意的是，此次任务中多个关键部件由华盛顿州企业研制：雷德蒙德的L3哈里斯公司埃罗杰特火箭dyne分部提供了再入姿态控制的12台反推推力器及服务舱辅助发动机；穆基特奥的卡曼航天与防务公司则研制了用于抛离前舱盖的推力器分离系统及应急侧舱口释放机构。

华盛顿州参议员玛丽亚·坎特韦尔在与宇航员通话时特别指出：“这次任务是对科学的重大投资，也是人类成就的证明。‘猎户座’推进器正是在华盛顿州建造的。”

当被问及人类登月相比机器人探测的独特价值时，格洛弗表示：“人类不仅能更高效地收集数据，更能带回生理、技术乃至情感层面的切身感受。这种人文联结，超越纯粹的科学探索，正是载人航天的深远意义。”

NASA将通过多个平台对返航过程进行全程直播，西雅图飞行博物馆也将设立大型屏幕供公众观看。此次返航的成功与否，将直接影响后续登月计划的推进节奏。

中文翻译：

美国宇航局绕月测试任务的乘组，在返回地球的旅程中，今日已抵达月球与地球之间的中点位置。随着飞船向加利福尼亚州海岸外的预定溅落点不断靠近，其速度正持续提升，为周五即将进行全程直播的溅落做准备。

在迄今为止进展顺利的"阿尔忒弥斯2号"任务尾声，宇航员们正依赖"猎户座"太空舱的推进系统、隔热罩和降落伞完美运作。宇航员维克多·格洛弗今日在与国会代表团进行天地问答时表示："我们将以近40倍音速进入大气层，随后减速至每小时20英里的速度坠入太平洋。隔热罩和降落伞将让我们平稳减速……我们已迫不及待想见到即将接应我们的潜水团队和海军人员。"

格洛弗与任务指挥官里德·怀斯曼、任务专家克里斯蒂娜·科赫及加拿大宇航员杰里米·汉森组成的乘组，在执行任务期间持续测试"猎户座"系统，为最早可能于2028年实施的登月计划铺路。这次为期十天的旅程是自1972年"阿波罗17号"以来人类首次绕月飞行。

在新闻发布会上，当被问及周五的进入下降过程与2012年"好奇号"火星车着陆时经历的"恐怖七分钟"有何异同时，"阿尔忒弥斯2号"首席飞行主管杰夫·雷迪根回应道："这是必须完美执行的13分钟。"他指的是从进入大气层到溅落之间的时段，随后又修正说："准确说不是13分钟，而是一个半小时内所有环节都必须精准无误。"

自4月1日被乘组命名为"正直号"的"猎户座"飞船搭载太空发射系统火箭升空以来，美国宇航局持续通过YouTube直播这十天任务的实况。航天局将于太平洋时间周五下午3时30分启动特别节目，将报道提升至新高度。该节目将通过商业流媒体服务、YouTube及NASA+同步播出。

西雅图飞行博物馆威廉·M·艾伦剧院的大屏幕也将进行转播。场馆于下午3时开放入场，博物馆会员可免费参与，普通参观者凭门票即可观看。下午3点后到馆的观众可申领"日落特惠"享受半价门票。

以下是"阿尔忒弥斯2号"返航时间表（均为太平洋时间）：
下午4:15：通信由深空网络移交至轨道跟踪与数据中继卫星系统
下午4:33："猎户座"乘员舱与欧制服务舱分离，服务舱随后在大气层中烧毁
下午4:37：执行最终轨道修正点火，飞船开始系列滚转机动
下午4:53：进入大气层界面。飞船在40万英尺高度接触大气上层，实施"抬升式进入"机动以降低速度。该"跳跃式进入"技术经2022年"阿尔忒弥斯1号"任务后优化改进，能更均匀地分散热量。

舱体摩擦与大气等离子体将使周围空气温度升至约5000华氏度，形成阻断无线电信号的等离子层，通讯中断预计持续6分钟。格洛弗说明："过载曲线与发射时相似，正常再入过程会承受3G过载，但若进入弹道轨迹，可能达到9-10G过载，相当于战斗机飞行员承受的强度。"

下午4:59：预计恢复与飞船通讯。前舱盖将在3.6万至2.4万英尺高度抛离
下午5:03：2.2万英尺高度展开减速伞
下午5:04：6000英尺高度展开主降落伞
下午5:07：溅落太平洋。主伞切断后飞船将充起氦气囊确保舱体直立

空中与海上团队将全程监控下降过程，预计两小时内完成宇航员接应，由直升机转运至两栖运输舰"约翰·P·默瑟"号。宇航员将在舰上接受医疗评估，随后送往圣迭戈岸基，转乘飞机抵达休斯顿约翰逊航天中心。飞船则将由"约翰·P·默瑟"号井型甲板回收运输。

本次返航将对西雅图地区制造的飞船组件进行严峻考验：

• 雷德蒙德L3哈里斯公司埃罗杰特火箭达因工厂提供了12个再入定向反推推进器及服务舱8台辅助发动机，其团队参与了原属"亚特兰蒂斯"号航天飞机的飞船主发动机改造，未来将承担更多主发动机制造任务。
• 穆基特奥卡曼航天防务公司生产的推进器分离系统将用于抛离前舱盖，该装置必须在足够高度分离以确保降落伞正常展开。
• 该工厂还制造了侧舱口紧急释放装置，供溅落后应急状况使用。

华盛顿州联邦参议员玛丽亚·坎特韦尔在与宇航员连线时特别提及本州的贡献："这次任务是对科学的重大投资，也是人类成就的证明。'猎户座'推进器正是在华盛顿州制造，我诚挚邀请各位前来参观这些创新成果和受你们鼓舞的人们。"她继而询问人类亲临月球能获得哪些探测器无法获取的认知。

格洛弗回应道："我希望这次任务能引发共鸣——不仅因为太空探索，更因我们听闻的地球家园与社区动态。相信各位能感受到任务带来的能量。"他转述友人的话："我想知道亲身体验的感觉。纵然会有海量图像，但我渴望了解真实感受。""探测器收集数据缓慢，人类却能高效完成。更重要的是，宇航员能带回生理、技术、医学层面的体验，更能传递情感共鸣，让我们保持人性联结——这超越科学与探索，触及人类本质的联系。"

英文来源：

The crew of NASA’s round-the-moon test mission crossed the halfway point between the moon and Earth today on their homeward journey — and they’re picking up speed as they zero in on a spot off the coast of California for Friday’s live-streamed splashdown.
At the end of what so far has been a successful Artemis 2 mission, the astronauts are counting on the Orion space capsule’s propulsion system, heat shield and parachutes to work perfectly.
“We’re going to come into the atmosphere at almost 40 times the speed of sound, and then we will slow down to a 20-mile-an-hour touchdown into the Pacific,” NASA pilot Victor Glover told a congressional delegation today during a space-to-ground Q&A. “The heat shield and the parachutes are going to get us nice and slow. … We can’t wait to see the dive team and the Navy that are going to pick us up.”
Glover and his crewmates — mission commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — have been testing Orion’s systems during a mission aimed at preparing the way for a lunar landing that could take place as early as 2028. Their 10-day trip is the first time humans have gone around the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Artemis 2 lead flight director Jeff Radigan was asked during a news briefing how Friday’s entry and descent would compare with the “Seven Minutes of Terror” experienced by NASA’s Curiosity rover during its 2012 Mars landing.
“It’s 13 minutes of things that have to go right,” said Radigan, referring to the time period between the start of atmospheric entry and splashdown. Then he amended his remarks. “It’s not 13 minutes,” he said. “It’s an hour and a half of things that have to go right.”
NASA has been streaming live coverage of the 10-day mission via YouTube continuously ever since the Orion spacecraft, christened Integrity by its crew, lifted off atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket on April 1. But the space agency will boost its coverage to a higher orbit on Friday with special programming that starts at 3:30 p.m. PT. That programming will be aired on commercial streaming services as well as on YouTube and NASA+.
The show will also be aired on the big screen at the Museum of Flight’s William M. Allen Theater in Seattle. Doors open for seating at 3 p.m. The event is free for museum members and included with museum admission. Museumgoers arriving after 3 p.m. can ask for the Sunset Special to receive 50% off admission.
Here’s the schedule for the Artemis 2 homecoming. All times are PT:
4:15 p.m.: Communications handover from the Deep Space Network to the orbital Tracking and Data Relay Satellites, also known as TDRS.
4:33 p.m.: Orion’s crew module separates from the spacecraft’s European-built service module. After separation, the service module burns up in the atmosphere while the crew module orients itself for descent.
4:37 p.m.: Final trajectory adjustment burn scheduled. Orion begins a series of roll maneuvers.
4:53 p.m.: Entry interface. Orion hits the upper layer of the atmosphere at an altitude of about 400,000 feet. The spacecraft executes a “lofted entry” maneuver to help reduce its velocity. NASA optimized this “skip entry” maneuver after the 2022 Artemis 1 mission saw unexpected charring on the heat shield. The lofted trajectory helps dissipate heat more evenly.
Friction and atmospheric plasma will heat the air around the capsule to around 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a layer of ionized plasma that blocks radio signals. The communications blackout is expected to last about six minutes.
“The G profile will actually be very similar to what it is on launch,” Glover said. “We’ll get into the 3 G’s on the way down for a normal entry, but if it is ballistic, we could get up as high as 9, 10 G’s, which is what you pull in a fighter jet. … And so the G profile is going to be pretty sporty.”
4:59 p.m.: Communications with Orion expected to resume. The spacecraft’s forward bay cover is due to be jettisoned at an altitude between 36,000 and 24,000 feet.
5:03 p.m.: Drogue parachutes deploy at 22,000 feet.
5:04 p.m.: Main parachutes deploy at 6,000 feet.
5:07 p.m.: Splashdown. The main parachute will be cut, and Orion will inflate helium-filled airbags to make sure the capsule floats right side up.
Orion’s descent will be monitored from the air and sea, and recovery teams are expected to take less than two hours to extract the astronauts from the capsule and fly them via helicopter to the USS John P. Murtha, an amphibious transport dock ship.
The astronauts will undergo onboard medical evaluations, and then they’ll be brought to shore in San Diego, where they will board an aircraft that will take them to Johnson Space Center in Houston. Meanwhile, the Orion capsule will be towed back onto the USS John P. Murtha’s well deck for transport.
Friday’s homecoming will put some of the components that are built for Orion in the Seattle area to their sternest test:

• L3Harris’ Aerojet Rocketdyne facility in Redmond, Wash., provided the 12 reaction control thrusters critical for re-entry orientation, alongside eight auxiliary engines for the service module. The Redmond team played a role in the refurbishment of Artemis 2’s Orion main engine, which was originally used on the space shuttle Atlantis — and will play a bigger role in building future main engines.
• Karman Space & Defense’s facility in Mukilteo, Wash., built the thruster separation system that will be used to jettison Orion’s forward bay cover. That cover has to come off in order for the spacecraft’s parachutes to deploy, at an altitude high enough to allow the parachutes to unfurl properly.
• The Mukilteo factory also makes mechanisms for a side hatch release system that Orion’s crew could use in the event of an emergency landing condition after splashdown.
  U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., referred to Washington state’s supporting role when she participated in today’s congressional chat with the astronauts.
  “This mission is a major investment in science and a testament to human achievement,” she told the crew. “The Orion thrusters were built here in the state of Washington. And I invite you all to come and see the innovation and the people that you’ve inspired.”
  Then Cantwell asked what could be learned on the moon using human eyes that can’t be learned from robotic rovers.
  Glover took the microphone. “You know, I hope this really resonates because of what’s going on back there, at least what we hear about going on back home and in our communities,” he said. “I think you all can feel the energy that this mission has brought.”
  He recalled that one of his friends told him, “I want to know how it feels. There’s going to be tons of pictures, but I want to know how it feels.”
  “I think a rover can collect data a lot slower, but the human is going to be able to do it much faster,” Glover said. “But then they’re also going to come back and tell you how it feels, physiologically, in a technical and medical sense, but also in an emotional sense, so that we can continue to have that human connection. Not just the scientific and exploration, but the human connection.”