jsc2026e019242 (April 1, 2026) – Lead Artemis II Flight Director Jeff Radigan in the White Flight Control Room at the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. At the time of this photograph, a little over three hours into the mission, the Artemis II crew began a manual piloting test called the proximity operations demonstration. During the demonstration, mission controllers monitored Orion as the astronauts transitioned the spacecraft to manual mode and piloted its flight path and orientation. This demonstration will provide performance data and operational experience that cannot be readily gained on the ground in preparation for critical rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, and undocking for future Artemis missions. Credit: NASA

jsc2026e019255 (April 1, 2026) – Lead Artemis II Flight Director Jeff Radigan (left) and capsule communicator (capcom) Amy Dill (right) in the White Flight Control Room at the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. At the time of this photograph, a little over three hours into the mission, the Artemis II crew conducting a manual piloting test called the proximity operations demonstration. During the demonstration, mission controllers monitored Orion as the astronauts transitioned the spacecraft to manual mode and piloted its flight path and orientation. This demonstration will provide performance data and operational experience that cannot be readily gained on the ground in preparation for critical rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, and undocking for future Artemis missions. Credit: NASA

Jeff Radigan, Artemis II lead flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, participates in an Artemis II mission overview news conference on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of rollout of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

jsc2026e019217 (April 1, 2026) – Lead Artemis II Flight Director Jeff Radigan in the White Flight Control Room at the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. At the time of this photograph, a little over three hours into the mission, the Artemis II crew was conducting a manual piloting test called the proximity operations demonstration. During the demonstration, mission controllers monitored Orion as the astronauts transitioned the spacecraft to manual mode and piloted its flight path and orientation. This demonstration will provide performance data and operational experience that cannot be readily gained on the ground in preparation for critical rendezvous, proximity operations, docking, and undocking for future Artemis missions. Credit: NASA

From left, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Jeff Radigan, Artemis II lead flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, participate in an Artemis II mission overview news conference on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of rollout of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

From left to right, Rachel Kraft, NASA's Office of Communications; John Honeycutt, Artemis II mission management team chair; Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Jeff Radigan, Artemis II lead flight director, Flight Operations Directorate; Lili Villarreal, Artemis II landing and recovery director in Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, participate in an Artemis II mission overview news conference on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of rollout of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

From left to right, Rachel Kraft, NASA's Office of Communications; John Honeycutt, Artemis II mission management team chair; Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Jeff Radigan, Artemis II lead flight director, Flight Operations Directorate; Lili Villarreal, Artemis II landing and recovery director in Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, participate in an Artemis II mission overview news conference on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of rollout of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

From left to right, Rachel Kraft, NASA's Office of Communications; John Honeycutt, Artemis II mission management team chair; Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Jeff Radigan, Artemis II lead flight director, Flight Operations Directorate; Lili Villarreal, Artemis II landing and recovery director in Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, participate in an Artemis II mission overview news conference on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of rollout of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.