Artemis II: training, science, and how to send your name around the Moon

Artemis II It has become one of the key milestones of the new phase of lunar exploration. The mission, planned for a launch window ranging from February to April 2026It will be the first manned flight of the Artemis program and the spacecraft's major in-flight test. Orion and the rocket SLS in the deep space environment.

for a few 10 days of travelFour astronauts will circle the Moon following a figure-eight trajectory and will move further away from 370.000 kilometers from Earthreaching some 7.400 kilometers beyond the lunar surfaceMeanwhile, NASA has opened the door for anyone to include their name on a digital memory that will travel aboard Oriona symbolic gesture that brings the mission closer to citizens around the world, also in Spain and the rest of Europe.

Intense training for a short but critical flight

The four crew members of Artemis II —Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen— are about to complete 18 months of preparation, a period that began in June 2023 and aims to ensure that the crew is proficient in both the day-to-day aspects of the mission and potential unforeseen events in deep space.

La first phase of training The study focused on an in-depth analysis of the interior of the Orion spacecraft. For about three months, they held individual and group sessions to learn about it in detail. controls, life support systems, communications, and proceduresThe goal is that, once in flight, each crew member will move around the cabin almost by rote and be able to react quickly to any anomaly.

Later, the astronauts traveled to Mistastin crater, in Canada, one of the terrestrial environments that best mimics the lunar landscape. There they carried out a intensive geological training: identification of rock structures, analysis of material layers, and sampling practices. Although Artemis II does not include a lunar landing, these exercises serve to refine the crew's observation and scientific documentation skills, abilities that will be reused in subsequent missions.

La third stage has revolved around the orbital operationsIn the simulators of Johnson Space Center (Houston), the crew has recreated critical navigation and attitude control maneuvers, rehearsing both routine procedures and failure scenarios. Simulations of engine starts, trajectory corrections, and virtual dockings allow them to test how people respond to the workload and stress of a real flight.

In addition to the technical component, the four astronauts have received specific medical trainingThey are trained in advanced first aid and in the use of diagnostic tools such as stethoscopes and electrocardiographsso that teams on Earth can monitor the crew's health in real time and react quickly to any worrying symptoms.

Nutrition, exercise and rest: taking care of the body in deep space

At the Johnson Space Center there operates a food systems laboratory who has designed a menu adapted to the personal preferences and nutritional needs of each astronaut. During these months, tests have been conducted. periodic biochemical assessments to analyze their body mass and diet, paying special attention to key nutrients such as vitamin D, folate, calcium and iron, essential to reduce bone and muscle density loss in microgravity.

The Orion spacecraft incorporates a water dispenser and a food warmerThis allows for some leeway in consuming hot meals and maintaining eating habits as similar as possible to those on Earth. It's a minor detail on paper, but it influences psychological well-being and adherence to nutrition plans.

Physically, the head of the training office for Artemis II, Jacki Mahaffey, has stressed the importance of “core” or central area of ​​the bodyIn microgravity, the core muscles are constantly used for stabilization, even when astronauts are seemingly still. Therefore, training includes plenty of core strengthening exercises, both in the gym and with the spacesuit onPracticing entering and exiting the cabin to internalize movements and postures.

During the mission, each crew member will need to dedicate approximately 30 minutes of physical activity dailyThey will use a system of adjustable resistance via flywheel to simulate exercises like rowing, squats, or deadlifts. This compact equipment is designed to generate mechanical resistance without the need for traditional weights, an essential requirement when every kilogram counts.

Rest is also part of the plan. NASA insists on ensuring eight hours of sleep daily for the entire crew in a synchronized manner. They will have hanging sleeping bags which they have already practiced in training, something key for the body to get used to sleeping without a support point. As the astronaut explains Joseph AhabáIn space, the sleep cycle is affected by the Sun: on the International Space Station, up to 16 sunrises every 24 hoursMaintaining a solid rest schedule is essential for managing fatigue.

Emergencies, survival and rescue in the ocean

Another significant part of the Artemis II program focuses on the emergencies and survivalNASA has subjected astronauts to buoyancy trainingrapid evacuation and open sea survival drills wearing spacesuits. One of these tests was carried out in the Pacific Ocean alongside the United States Navy, where they practiced surfacing, boarding inflatable platforms, and coordinating with helicopters and rescue vessels.

These exercises are not anecdotal: the return of Artemis II will culminate in a high-speed re-entry in the atmosphere and a splashdown in the Pacificoff the coast of San Diego. Joint teams from NASA and the Department of Defense will be responsible for locating the capsule, securing it, and extracting the crew. Having previously experienced similar situations reduces risks and response times when a splashdown actually occurs.

The science of living in deep space: health, radiation, and data for the future

Although Artemis II is a test flightNASA will take advantage of each day to collect data on how the [the planet] affects deep space to the human organismThe crew will act simultaneously as operators and as subjects of study in several lines of research focused on sleep, stress, immune system, and radiation exposure.

One of the key projects is ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Performance)The experiment aims to analyze how rest, mental workload, cognition, and teamwork change when leaving low Earth orbit. The astronauts will wear devices on the wrist that record movement and sleep patterns throughout the mission, and will conduct pre- and post-flight tests to measure attention, memory, mood, and cooperation under real-life conditions.

Another line of work focuses on the immune biomarkersNASA and its partners will collect saliva samples on special paper before, during, and after the mission, as well as liquid saliva and blood samples in the period before and after the flight. The goal is to check how the body responds. human immune system to radiation, isolation and distance from EarthAnd if latent viruses are reactivated, as has already been observed on the International Space Station with the varicella-zoster virus.

The project AVATAR (Virtual Tissue Analogue Response of an Astronaut) It will provide another layer of information. It will be used “organs on a chip” approximately the size of a USB flash drive with cells derived from bone marrow of the astronauts themselvesThese tiny models will allow researchers to study how this particularly sensitive tissue reacts to the high-energy radiation in deep space, and will help validate whether this technology can predict the human response and personalize future medical countermeasures.

The crew will also participate in the study of “standard measurements” which NASA has been doing for years on other flights. They will provide samples of blood, urine, and saliva Starting about six months before launch, they will undergo tests of balance, vestibular function, muscle strength, microbiome, vision, and cognitive performance. After returning to Earth, assessments will continue for approximately one month, with particular attention to dizziness, coordination and eye and head movements.

All this data will be integrated with information about the radiation within OrionFollowing the experience of Artemis I, where thousands of sensors were deployed, Artemis II will again use active and individual radiation detectors distributed throughout the spacecraft and personal dosimeters in the astronauts' suits. If elevated levels are detected due to solar phenomena, mission control can order the construction of a “refuge” inside the capsule to reduce the dose received.

In this area, cooperation with Europe stands out: NASA is working again with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in a new version of the detector M-42 EXTwith six times the resolution of its predecessor on Artemis I. Orion will carry four of these monitors, which will be placed at different points in the cabin to accurately measure the heavy ion radiation, considered especially dangerous for long-term health.

Lunar observation campaign and Europa's role in Artemis

Beyond the medical experiments, the crew will take advantage of their privileged position to conduct a lunar observation campaignThey will be the first humans to view its surface up close since 1972, and they will document what they see through photographs and audio recordingsDepending on the exact launch date and lighting conditions, they could even be the first to directly observe some regions of the far side of the moon with a human gaze.

NASA will integrate for the first time real-time scientific operations from flight controlA scientific director will coordinate a team of specialists in impact craters, volcanism, tectonics, and moon ice From the Science Assessment Room at the Johnson Space Center, this group will analyze the images and data sent by the crew and provide recommendations almost instantly, serving as a test for future lunar landing missions.

Europe has a significant role in this whole framework. European Space Agency (ESA) contributes to the Orion European Service Moduleresponsible for supplying energy, water, oxygen, and propulsion to the capsule. It also participates in the development of components for the future lunar station. Gateway, which will be placed in orbit around the Moon as a logistics and scientific hub.

The ESA has already announced that it has selected European astronauts —a German, a Frenchman, and an Italian— to participate in the upcoming Artemis missions. Although Artemis II will be crewed by three NASA astronauts and one from the Canadian Space Agency, these agreements guarantee that Europe will be on board future lunar expeditionsThis is very relevant for countries like Spain, which contribute to the ESA and benefit from the technological and industrial return.

This European involvement, coupled with cooperation with organizations such as the DLR in the field of radiation, places the region in a strategic position within the new lunar race, in which powers such as also participate China and, to a lesser extent, RussiaArtemis II is, in practice, another step in a long-term campaign aimed at establishing a sustained human presence on the lunar surface already preparing the first manned missions to Mars.

Send your name to Orion: a global invitation to board Artemis II

Along with all these technical and scientific components, NASA wanted to open a citizen participation channelAnyone, from Spain, Europe or any other country, can register their name to travel on board. Artemis II within a digital memory installed in OrionIt's not a physical ticket, of course, but it is a symbolic way to join the mission.

The process is simple: just enter the NASA's official page dedicated to the campaign and fill out a very short form. First name, last name and a PIN code which the user chooses, usually between four and seven digits. That PIN is the single key to retrieve the digital boarding passTherefore, the agency warns that it cannot be restored if it is lost.

Once the form is submitted, the system generates a personalized boarding pass associated with Artemis II. It includes the registered name, an identifier number, and the mission reference, which many participants share on social media or use in educational activities. NASA encourages the distribution of these cards as a way to to bring space exploration closer to schools, families and enthusiasts.

According to the most recent figures published by the agency, the initiative has already gathered hundreds of thousands of recordswith the counter growing daily. All those names will be compiled into a single memory support which will be integrated into the spacecraft's hardware before launch. During the approximately ten-day journey, that list of names will complete the same route as the crew: from liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center to the lunar flyby and the return to Earth.

For the general public, the action doesn't change the mission's trajectory, but it does help to understand it better. Knowing that your name is traveling in Orion transforms a distant, technical operation into something with a... close emotional componentMany schools in Spain and other European countries are using this campaign to work on science, technology and exploration topics with their students.

A program with delays, but with a clear roadmap to the Moon and Mars.

Artemis II has suffered several postponements Regarding its initial target dates, which were contingent on the maturation of the SLS rocket, the certification of the Orion spacecraft, and other aspects of the program, NASA now places the mission within a window that extends until... April 2026, with the priority set on launching only when all systems are ready.

This flight is the direct bridge to Artemis III, a mission that aspires to achieve the first manned moon landing since 1972 using, among other elements, a lander provided by private industry. To reach that point, Artemis II must demonstrate that the SLS-Orion suite and the terrestrial systems They function reliably with people on board: from life support to communications, including navigation and the behavior of the structure in the most demanding phases of the journey.

Meanwhile, NASA insists that the Artemis program does not pursue solely scientific objectives. The agency speaks of discoveries, economic benefits and technological development These developments could have repercussions across numerous sectors worldwide, from new materials to energy and medical systems. To sustain an initiative of this magnitude for decades, political support must go hand in hand with public backing.

Hence the effort to maintain a shared exploration narrativeIncluding names in a memory that will orbit the Moon, opening scientific data to the international community, and incorporating partners like the ESA are all pieces of the same strategy: to show that lunar exploration is not the work of a single country or an elite, but of a collective effort. global network of institutions, businesses and citizens.

With Artemis II just around the corner, the combination of comprehensive training, pioneering experiments, international cooperation, and public participation It outlines a mission short in duration, but with significant implications. For those watching from Spain or anywhere in Europe, the feeling is that the return to the Moon is no longer just a page in the history books: it's a living, ongoing process in which it's possible to get involved, even by leaving something as simple as a name traveling inside Orion.