Watch Artemis 2 race back to Earth in this telescope livestream tonight

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A Virtual Telescope Project livestream will track NASA's Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft as it races back toward Earth. Here's how to watch it live.

laptop screen showing live stream view of artemis 2 against background stars.
A Virtual Telescope Project livestream will track NASA's Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft as it races back toward Earth. Here's how to watch it live. (Image credit: Inset: Gianluca Masi, graphic made in Canva Pro.)

Artemis 2 is on its way back to Earth, and you can watch it speed through space live tonight in this Virtual Telescope Project (VTP) livestream (weather depending).

The broadcast, hosted by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, is scheduled to begin at 10:45 p.m. EDT on April 9 (0245 GMT on April 10) and is available here on Space.com and on VTP's official WebTV.

Earth sets at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, over the Moon’s curved limb in this photo captured by the Artemis 2 crew during their journey around the far side of the Moon. Orientale basin is perched on the edge of the visible lunar surface.

Iconic "Earthset" image captured during Artemis 2's lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. (Image credit: NASA)

If the weather cooperates, tonight's livestream could offer one of the last chances to catch a glimpse of Orion in deep space before its fiery journey back through Earth's atmosphere.

Artemis 2 launched on April 1, sending four astronauts on a historic flight around the moon — the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. During the mission, the crew flew thousands of miles beyond the moon and even captured sight of a total solar eclipse!

Now in the final stages of the mission, the astronauts are preparing for their return to Earth, with splashdown expected for Friday evening (April 10) in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego.

You can keep up to date with the latest Artemis 2 action with our Artemis 2 live blog.

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Daisy Dobrijevic
Daisy Dobrijevic
Skywatching Editor

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022, having previously worked as a staff writer for All About Space magazine. She completed an editorial internship with BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre, communicating space science to the public.

Daisy holds a PhD in plant physiology and a Master's in Environmental Science. Based in Nottingham, U.K., she covers all things space, with a special focus on solar activity and space weather. She also has a keen interest in astrotourism and is always on the lookout for the next northern lights adventure.

She will be a guest speaker aboard HX's Solar Eclipse Expedition in August 2026 and will join Hurtigruten as an onboard astronomer for a northern lights sailing in January 2027.