The Rocket City is inviting the community to come together and witness a historic moment in space exploration as the City of Huntsville and Downtown Huntsville Inc. host an Artemis II splashdown watch party on April 10.
The event will take place at Big Spring Park, where a live stream of the splashdown is set to begin at 6 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to watch the conclusion of NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission alongside fellow space enthusiasts.
The Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA’s return to deep space exploration, sending astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a journey around the Moon and setting the stage for future lunar missions.
Huntsville’s role in the mission is significant. The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Space Launch System rocket that powered the mission, continuing the city’s decades-long legacy as a leader in propulsion and spaceflight innovation.
“This mission carries the fingerprints of our community, and we’re proud to gather in Big Spring Park to share this moment together as we honor the teamwork, innovation and determination that made the Artemis journey around the moon possible. Let us remind the world that Huntsville remains at the heart of America’s space story,” said Tommy Battle.
Ron Poteat, president and CEO of Downtown Huntsville, Inc., said the event reflects the city’s deep connection to space exploration.
“Huntsville has been intertwined with space exploration for more than seventy years, and we’re thrilled to bring the community together in downtown Huntsville to celebrate this historic achievement,” Poteat said.
In addition to the live stream, the event will feature food trucks, appearances by mascots from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and opportunities for media interviews with NASA Marshall subject matter experts and communications staff.
The watch party is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is open to residents, visitors and members of Huntsville’s space community looking to celebrate the latest chapter in human spaceflight together.
