As NASA prepares to launch Artemis II, its first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, much of the world’s attention will be on Florida’s Kennedy Space Center where the rocket will lift off this evening.
But once the spacecraft clears the launch pad, the mission shifts to Houston.
At Johnson Space Center, lead flight director Jeff Radigan and a team of flight controllers will manage every phase of the mission around-the-clock from tracking systems, constant communication with the crew and making real-time decisions from the same Mission Control that guided Apollo and the International Space Station.
This role is nothing new for Houston. For decades, the region has served as the operational center of American human spaceflight, and Artemis II marks the next chapter in that legacy.
About the Artemis II Mission
Artemis II will send four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back, covering roughly 685,000 miles. While the mission will not land on the Moon, it will test the rocket, spacecraft and systems needed to get there safely, paving the way for a future lunar landing under the Artemis program.
Built and Trained in Houston
Long before launch, Houston has played a central role in preparing the crew. At Johnson Space Center, astronauts trained extensively inside spacecraft simulators to rehearse every phase of the mission. They practiced emergency scenarios, tested life support systems and studied lunar photography to support mission objectives.
The crew also flew T-38 jets at Ellington Field to maintain flight readiness and practiced splashdown recovery procedures at Johnson’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
Unlike missions to the International Space Station, Artemis II will take astronauts far beyond low-Earth orbit, meaning there is no quick return home if something goes wrong. That makes this level of preparation critical.
Looking Ahead
The Houston region continues to anchor mission operations, training and technical expertise that support national space priorities. By continuing to attract space industry companies and projects, including the Texas A&M Space Institute and Intuitive Machines, Houston aims to make Texas a global hub of human exploration.
Artemis II will take off today at 5:24 p.m. CDT. Watch it live.