JPL Aids Artemis II from Space Flight Ops Facility

NASA's Deep Space Network antennas enable communications with crewed spacecraft traveling to the Moon.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:28am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A highly structured abstract painting in soft earthy tones, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex network of radio antennas and deep space communication systems that enable NASA's Artemis II mission to the Moon.NASA's Deep Space Network, a global array of radio antennas, provides the critical communications link for the Artemis II mission's journey to the Moon and back.Pasadena Today

Shortly after the Artemis II mission launched to the Moon on April 1, 2026, initial communications were handled by NASA's Near Space Network. The agency's Deep Space Network (DSN), operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, then acquired the signal, marking the first time in over 50 years that the network would be communicating with a crewed spacecraft traveling through deep space.

Why it matters

The DSN is a critical asset for NASA, enabling missions to track, send commands to, and receive scientific data from spacecraft exploring the solar system. The Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight of NASA's new Orion spacecraft, is a major milestone in the agency's plans to return humans to the lunar surface.

The details

The Space Flight Operations Facility at JPL, which manages the DSN, displayed the Artemis II mission patch on its main screen shortly before the mission launched. The DSN's three complexes in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia, each with multiple radio frequency antennas, will be responsible for communicating with the Artemis II spacecraft throughout its journey to the Moon and back.

  • Artemis II launched at 6:35 p.m. EDT on April 1, 2026 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
  • The DSN acquired signal from the Artemis II spacecraft shortly after liftoff, marking the first time in over 50 years that the network would be communicating with a crewed spacecraft traveling through deep space.

The players

NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN)

A global network of radio antennas that enables NASA to communicate with and receive data from spacecraft exploring the solar system, including the Artemis II mission to the Moon.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

A federally funded research and development center managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) for NASA, which operates the Deep Space Network.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a significant milestone in NASA's plans to return humans to the Moon, and the agency's Deep Space Network, operated by JPL, will play a crucial role in enabling communications and data exchange throughout the spacecraft's journey.