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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking volunteers to passively track the 2026 Artemis II Orion spacecraft as the crewed mission travels to the Moon and back to Earth.<\/p>\n
The Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor Glover, KI5BKC; and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.<\/p>\n
Targeted for no later than April 2026, the mission will rely on NASA\u2019s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network for primary communications and tracking support throughout its launch, orbit, and reentry. However, with a growing focus on commercialization, NASA wants to further understand industry\u2019s tracking capabilities. <\/p>\n
This collaboration opportunity builds upon a previous request released by NASA\u2019s Space Communication and Navigation Program (SCaN ) during the Artemis I mission in 2022. Ten volunteers successfully tracked the uncrewed Orion spacecraft on its journey thousands of miles beyond the Moon and back.<\/p>\n
One of those volunteers tracking in 2022 was Scott Chapman, K4KDR, of Montpelier, Virginia. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s what you don\u2019t know that makes this kind activity interesting,\u201d said Chapman. \u201cAll I had was a small S-band dish and receiver and wasn\u2019t sure what I could or couldn\u2019t hear…but when I started hearing the signals…it made everything worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapman said he felt good about the whole process and, while it was interesting, it was also lot of fun! <\/p>\n
There were also other participants during the Artemis I mission, including international space agencies, academic institutions, commercial companies, nonprofits, and private citizens who were also attempting to receive Orion\u2019s signals. Chapman added that NASA is also looking for commercial partnerships to share in the process.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re interested in volunteering for next year\u2019s event, all of the information can\u00a0 <\/span>be found at SAM.gov. The response deadline is October 27, 2025, at 5:00 PM EDT.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n