NASA Experts Monitor Sun to Shield Artemis II Crew

Astronauts will venture beyond Earth's protective magnetic field on 10-day Moon mission.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 6:32am

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As four astronauts travel around the Moon on NASA's Artemis II mission, they will venture beyond Earth's protective magnetic field. NASA and NOAA will monitor the Sun around the clock and translate space weather conditions into real-time decisions to protect the astronauts from the most powerful solar eruptions in the solar system.

Why it matters

For the first time in half a century, four astronauts are leaving Earth's protective magnetic field to enter a realm where massive solar eruptions can unleash more energy than a billion hydrogen bombs. The Artemis II crew will fly through a dangerous environment, but they're not going it alone.

The details

NASA's Goddard team will track any solar eruptions that occur, measuring how big they are, how fast they're moving, and how likely they are to generate energetic particles that will cross Orion's path. Inside Orion, six radiation sensors measure dose rates in different parts of the cabin, and astronauts wear personal radiation trackers. If radiation levels increase, Orion's onboard systems display warnings accompanied by an audible alarm.

  • NASA's Perseverance Mars rover can look at the far side of the Sun, where Earth has no view, and give NASA's space weather teams a view of the largest sunspots up to two weeks earlier.
  • The Artemis II mission is scheduled for a 10-day flight around the Moon.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce that focuses on the conditions of the oceans, major waterways, and the atmosphere.

Orion

The spacecraft that will carry the Artemis II crew on their 10-day flight around the Moon.

Mary Aronne

The operations lead for the space weather analysis office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Stuart George

A space radiation analyst at NASA Johnson.

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What they’re saying

“Our focus will be real-time space weather analysis, prioritizing solar energetic particles and events that could produce them. We're looking for the trigger, which would typically be a flare or a coronal mass ejection.”

— Mary Aronne, Operations lead for the space weather analysis office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

“It's more like you're sitting in a bathtub and it's gradually filling with water.”

— Stuart George, Space radiation analyst at NASA Johnson

What’s next

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch in 2026. NASA and NOAA will continue to monitor the Sun and space weather conditions leading up to and during the mission to ensure the safety of the astronauts.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission marks the first time in half a century that astronauts will venture beyond Earth's protective magnetic field. NASA and NOAA are taking unprecedented steps to monitor the Sun and shield the crew from the most powerful solar eruptions, demonstrating the agency's commitment to safe deep-space exploration.