Artemis II: A Historic Journey Beckons
NASA has launched an exciting initiative to involve the public in its Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight to the Moon in over 50 years. Scheduled for no later than April 2026, this mission will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. The agency is seeking volunteers to help track the Orion spacecraft during this historic test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
This opportunity builds on a similar effort during the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, where ten volunteers successfully tracked the Orion spacecraft. NASA's focus is on understanding the capabilities of commercial tracking systems as part of its broader push toward collaboration with industry partners. The mission will rely primarily on NASA's Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for communications and tracking, but the agency is eager to explore additional support through volunteer efforts.
Volunteer Role in Tracking Orion's Path
Volunteers participating in this program will passively track the Orion spacecraft as it travels to the Moon and returns. This role does not involve active communication with the spacecraft but rather focuses on monitoring its trajectory using ground station equipment. NASA aims to harness these efforts to complement its existing infrastructure and gain insights into how commercial entities can support future deep space missions.
The call for volunteers is open to ground station operators who can contribute their expertise and resources. This initiative reflects NASA's commitment to fostering partnerships within the space community, as highlighted by the agency's Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Program. By involving volunteers, NASA hopes to enhance the robustness of its tracking capabilities for Artemis II and beyond.
Paving the Way for Lunar Exploration
Artemis II is a critical step in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term human presence on the lunar surface for scientific discovery and exploration. This mission will be the first to test the Orion spacecraft with a crew in the harsh environment of deep space, verifying that all systems operate as designed. The data gathered will be instrumental for planning subsequent missions, including those targeting lunar landings.
The crew, consisting of Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and CSA Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, will embark on a free-return trajectory around the Moon. Their journey marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA's invitation for volunteers underscores the collaborative spirit of this endeavor, inviting the public to play a part in humanity's return to the Moon.