Artemis II Return Updates Change Friday Primetime Schedules
media preparations intensify as Artemis II makes its historic return to Earth. The much-anticipated comeback follows a successful ten-day mission circumnavigating the moon.
CBS News will broadcast Artemis II Return To Earth, a live one-hour special tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET across the CBS Television Network, CBS News 24/7, and CBSNews.com.
Jericka Duncan will anchor the program, with contributions from astronaut Suni Williams and Lt. Col Dave Mahan reporting from New York. CBS News’ Mark Strassmann and Bill Harwood will be stationed in Houston, astronaut Nick Hague in Washington, D.C., and Carter Evans in San Diego.
During re-entry, the capsule will detach from its service module and descend toward Earth at a velocity of 24,000 miles per hour. At an altitude of 12,000 feet, 11 parachutes will deploy, slowing the capsule from hundreds of miles per hour to a gentle 17–20 mph for its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego.
In light of the special broadcast, CBS has adjusted the East Coast primetime schedule slightly. The series Sheriff Country, Fire Country, and Boston Blue will each start a half-hour earlier.
- 7:30-8:30 PM CBS News Special Report
- 8:30-9:30 PM SHERIFF COUNTRY
- 9:30-10:30 PM FIRE COUNTRY
- 10:30-11:30 PM BOSTON BLUE
Fox News Channel will provide live coverage during its primetime slots. Senior correspondent Jonathan Serrie will report live from the Johnson Space Center in Texas, with live feeds from NASA’s coverage of the mission’s return. Additionally, Fox Nation will stream NASA’s coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. ET, while Fox News Digital will offer real-time updates via a live blog throughout the day.
Moreover, Fox Weather will host Artemis: Return to Earth, a three-hour special beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET, featuring meteorologists Ian Oliver and Stephen Morgan, along with correspondent Brandy Cambell providing live updates from California.
NewsNation will also cover the Artemis II return throughout the day, led by Chris Cuomo. The programming will highlight the Orion capsule’s splashdown, scheduled for approximately 8:07 p.m. ET, culminating in a special edition of Cuomo. Real-time updates will continue with segments such as On Balance with Leland Vittert at 9 p.m. ET and Katie Pavlich Tonight at 10 p.m. ET.
National correspondents Nancy Loo and Xavier Walton will report from San Diego and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, respectively, while also featuring insights from former astronauts and prominent space experts.
A livestream of the mission’s return will be accessible via the NewsNation app and website. NewsNation’s sister site, The Hill, will also host a live stream covering the splashdown provided by WFLA-TV.
