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NASA successfully sent four astronauts\u00a0around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, setting the stage for future lunar landing missions.\u00a0As the agency continues to push the bounds of space exploration,\u00a0NASA\u2019s\u00a0Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley\u00a0provided essential support in preparing for the mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Artemis II was the first crewed\u00a0test\u00a0flight under NASA\u2019s Artemis\u00a0program.\u00a0Launching on April 1, 2026, the mission\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0systems and hardware needed for\u00a0deep space missions.\u00a0Four astronauts \u2013 NASA\u2019s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and\u00a0CSA\u2019s\u00a0(Canadian Space Agency)\u00a0astronaut Jeremy Hansen \u2013\u00a0spent approximately 10 days traveling around the Moon\u00a0and back inside the Orion spacecraft.\u00a0The test flight built on lessons learned and results from\u00a0the uncrewed\u00a0test\u00a0flight of\u00a0Artemis I, which launched on November 16,\u00a02022.<\/p>\n
Ames continued\u00a0to build on its contributions from Artemis I, advancing research, engineering, science, and technology for Artemis II.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the crew set\u00a0eyes on the far side of the Moon, making observations that will help us prepare for future lunar exploration, they began a four-day journey home. Orion returned home to Earth on a free return trajectory, being naturally pulled back by Earth\u2019s gravity and entering the atmosphere at about 25,000 mph. Its heat shield protected the spacecraft from temperatures up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
NASA learned from Artemis I that Orion\u2019s heat shield experienced more char loss than expected, caused by internal gas buildup during reentry. While Artemis I was uncrewed, flight data showed that had crew been aboard, they would have been safe. Engineers used revised analysis methods and extensive arc jet material testing to\u00a0help understand root cause, reproduce\u00a0the char loss,\u00a0and ensured the heat shield would perform as intended during Orion\u2019s return to Earth on a modified trajectory.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ames engineers and researchers developed a suite of sensors to provide heat shield performance data during reentry, including temperature and pressure information. Ames also contributed to Orion\u2019s 3D-MAT compression pads, which connect the crew module to the service module. This technology\u00a0maintains\u00a0strength under extreme heat while insulating the spacecraft. Developed through collaboration with small businesses, 3D-MAT\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0how NASA innovations can\u00a0impact\u00a0human spaceflight and beyond.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Understanding the heating conditions Orion faced during reentry as well as potential abort scenarios was key to mission success.\u00a0The Ames\u00a0Aerosciences\u00a0team\u00a0provided support in these key aerothermal simulations and developed an innovative tool that combines\u00a0onboard\u00a0pressure sensor data from Orion with advanced computer modeling. The result predicted the spacecraft\u2019s path back to Earth more accurately, making reentry safer, more precise, and improving mission confidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The SLS rocket experienced higher-than-expected vibrations near the solid rocket booster attach points\u00a0during Artemis I, caused by unsteady airflow between the\u00a0boosters and the core stage.\u00a0To address this,\u00a0engineers added\u00a0four strakes\u00a0\u2013\u00a0thin, fin-like structures\u00a0\u2013\u00a0to\u00a0the SLS core stage\u00a0for Artemis II. These strakes\u00a0change the airflow and reduce vibration, improving safety during ascent. Ames, in collaboration with other centers, played a key role in\u00a0validating\u00a0this solution through supercomputer modeling and advanced wind tunnel testing using Unsteady Pressure Sensitive Paint and high-speed cameras.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The team also reviewed potential debris\u00a0impacts\u00a0and analyzed the impact of strengthening parts of the vehicle after larger-than-expected debris was\u00a0observed\u00a0during Artemis I. Ames engineers also supported launch operations by\u00a0monitoring\u00a0aerodynamic data and debris analysis in real time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
This collaboration between wind tunnel engineers, data visualization scientists, and software developers delivered a quick, cost-effective solution that combines physical testing with computational modeling, building on NASA Ames\u2019s history of using supercomputer simulations to further testing and research across the agency. The result is a refined rocket designed and optimized for Artemis II\u2019s historic journey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ames funding through the Small Business Innovation Research \/ Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR\/STTR) program also led to new innovations that\u00a0supported both Orion and SLS, including advanced material design, software development, safety sensors, and acoustic modeling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As members of the Artemis II\u00a0lunar\u00a0science\u00a0team, Ames scientists worked with flight operations at NASA\u2019s Mission Control Center at\u00a0the agency\u2019s\u00a0Johnson Space Center\u00a0in Houston\u00a0to\u00a0lead and guide the Artemis II crew through the mission\u2019s lunar observations. Key science\u00a0objectives\u00a0included studying lunar color, impact history, tectonic features, and future landing sites, as well as characterizing dynamic events such as impact flashes.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Ames scientists have\u00a0been members of a team that\u00a0trained the Artemis II crew over several years to use their eyes \u2013 remarkably sensitive instruments \u2013 to\u00a0observe, describe, and interpret geologic variations in lunar features during the flyby. After launch, a timeline of targeted observations built by the\u00a0lunar\u00a0science\u00a0team guided the crew to describe and photograph\u00a0specific\u00a0lunar targets,\u00a0including\u00a0craters, volcanic formations, and surface colorations. These firsthand observations, paired with imagery\u00a0from Orion, create a unique dataset to inform future human exploration of the Moon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ames also supported mission assurance through its Mission and Fault Management team, which helps the agency\u00a0anticipate\u00a0and respond to potential problems by testing systems, verifying software, and creating tools to detect issues early through simulation and scenario testing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Cross-Program Integrated Data Systems team at Ames developed a suite of software products to support flight readiness, risk assessment, and decision making up to the moment of launch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During Artemis II, Ames experts served as backup console operators and contributed to real-time analysis, helping NASA respond quickly to unexpected conditions. These efforts strengthened the reliability of critical systems and reduced risk for the crew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ames experts are heavily involved in the post-flight data analysis effort assessing the performance of the Mission and Fault Management logic during the Artemis II flight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Learn more:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Ames contributions to Artemis I:\u00a0<\/p>\n For news media:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Artemis II\u00a0press kit:\u00a0<\/p>\n Members of the news media interested in covering this topic should reach out to the\u202fNASA Ames newsroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n