India, April 11 -- The Artemis II crew is coming home. After a journey of more than 690,000 miles, the Orion capsule is streaking toward a Pacific Ocean splashdown off the coast of San Diego. NASA's flight dynamics team has calculated the spacecraft will reach a top speed of 24,661.21 miles per hour after reentry-just 130 mph behind the record set by Apollo 10's 24,791 mph return.

Commander Reid Wiseman, looking at Earth from 17,000 nautical miles above, described the view with quiet wonder. "Christine has got an amazing view of home flat out the side hatch window, and it's lighting up the cabin, and it's just a great blue hue to it. It's beautiful."

After a journey of more than 690,000 miles, the crew is nearly home.

The Artemis II cr...