Marshall Space Flight Center Prepares for Artemis II Lunar Flyby

Huntsville-based team looks to gather key data and test systems ahead of future moon missions.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 3:09am

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A bold, geometric abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and grays, featuring sweeping arcs and concentric circles representing the Artemis II spacecraft's path and the moon's orbit, conveying the intricate scientific forces at play during the lunar flyby.An abstract visualization of the Artemis II spacecraft's trajectory and lunar flyby, capturing the complex systems and precise calculations enabling this crucial step toward returning humans to the moon.Huntsville Today

As the Artemis II crew prepares to rocket toward the moon for a 10-day mission, the team from Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is eagerly anticipating the upcoming lunar flyby. The scientists and engineers at MSFC hope to gather valuable data and test critical systems that will inform future, more complex Artemis missions to the lunar surface.

Why it matters

The Artemis program represents NASA's ambitious plan to return humans to the moon, and the Artemis II mission is a crucial stepping stone. The data and insights gathered by the MSFC team during this mission will help ensure the success of future Artemis landings, which will include the first woman and person of color to walk on the lunar surface.

The details

During the Artemis II lunar flyby, the astronaut crew will make direct observations of the moon's surface and communicate those findings to a science evaluation team in Houston. MSFC Chief Scientist Renee Weber says this interaction will help shape future science plans. Additionally, MSFC will be responsible for managing the Human Landing System that will transport astronauts to the lunar surface on later Artemis missions. The lander designs from SpaceX and Blue Origin, which include unique features like an elevator, are a particular point of excitement for MSFC's Logan Kennedy.

  • Artemis II is scheduled for a 10-day mission in 2024.
  • The lunar flyby, when the spacecraft will be closest to the moon's surface, is a key milestone during the mission.

The players

Renee Weber

Chief Scientist at Marshall Space Flight Center, leading a team of scientists supporting the Artemis program.

Logan Kennedy

Lunar Lander to Spacesuit Technical Liaison at Marshall Space Flight Center, responsible for ensuring the lander and spacesuits work together on future Artemis missions.

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What they’re saying

“The crew are going to make observations of the surface. They're going to be communicating with, what we call the science backroom, for the science evaluation crew, which is a team of scientists that are actually based in Houston. They are able to interact directly with the crew while they're making these observations and take that information and feed it forward into a science plan.”

— Renee Weber, Chief Scientist, Marshall Space Flight Center

“The landers that we're working on are really exciting. They're very different and very unique. SpaceX and Blue Origin have a very different approach to the problem, which is really cool. I'm an Apollo buff, so I always compare things to Apollo. The landers are much bigger, much more capable.”

— Logan Kennedy, Lunar Lander to Spacesuit Technical Liaison, Marshall Space Flight Center

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is scheduled to conduct the lunar flyby in 2024, providing critical data and system tests to inform future Artemis missions that will land astronauts on the lunar surface.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a crucial stepping stone in NASA's ambitious plan to return humans to the moon. The team at Marshall Space Flight Center is eager to gather valuable data and test key systems during the upcoming lunar flyby, laying the groundwork for more complex and capable Artemis missions to come.