NASA says Orion capsule could splash down off Cape Town eight minutes after launch

A launch abort on a future Artemis mission could send an Orion capsule splashing down off Cape Town eight minutes after liftoff from Florida. NASA representatives met with South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Cape Town to discuss how local teams could support an emergency recovery. Depending on the trajectory and timing of an incident, the Cape is among the possible recovery areas. NSRI operations head Charl Maritz said the institute could help locate and rescue injured astronauts if the site is within its operational range.