NASA Preps Artemis II Astronauts for Historic Moon Mission

Rigorous training at Johnson Space Center prepares crew for potential malfunctions and emergencies during 10-day journey around the Moon.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 8:55am

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NASA is conducting extensive training and simulations to prepare the four-person Artemis II crew - commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen - for their upcoming 10-day mission to loop around the Moon and return to Earth. Trainers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston are putting the astronauts and mission control team through countless scenarios testing how they respond to equipment failures, emergencies, and other unexpected problems that could arise during the historic flight.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission will be NASA's first crewed flight around the Moon since the Apollo program over 50 years ago, marking a major milestone in the agency's goal of returning humans to the lunar surface. Thorough preparation is critical to ensure the safety and success of this high-profile mission.

The details

During training simulations, the Artemis II crew and mission control team are tested on how they respond to a wide range of potential malfunctions and emergencies, from small sensor failures to major problems like fires. The goal is to teach the crew and ground controllers how to adapt and troubleshoot issues in real-time. "We can't predict everything that will happen," said Lisa Voiles, NASA's chief training officer. "I think any scenario that you work through - even if it's not the exact one that you see in space, all that experience and all that development together is going to benefit everyone."

  • The Artemis II mission is targeted to launch in early February 2026.
  • The 10-day mission will send the four-person crew on a loop around the Moon and back to Earth.

The players

Reid Wiseman

Commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

Pilot of the Artemis II mission.

Christina Koch

Mission specialist on the Artemis II mission.

Jeremy Hansen

Mission specialist on the Artemis II mission.

Lisa Voiles

Chief training officer at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

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What they’re saying

“We'll be sitting in the sim, all our mission controllers are in mission control, and then stuff will just start breaking. You're like, 'Oh, come on. Really, that?'”

— Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist (CBS Mornings)

“If you don't have a completely nailed down plan, at least you have a straw man of what the plan might be.”

— Judd Frieling, NASA flight director (CBS Mornings)

“We'll be sitting in the sim, all our mission controllers are in mission control, and then stuff will just start breaking. You're like, 'Oh, come on. Really, that?'”

— Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist (CBS Mornings)

What’s next

The Artemis II crew and mission control team will continue rigorous training and simulations in the coming weeks to prepare for the historic flight around the Moon, scheduled for early February 2026.

The takeaway

NASA's meticulous preparation of the Artemis II crew and mission control for potential malfunctions and emergencies during the mission to the Moon underscores the agency's commitment to safety and success as it embarks on the first crewed lunar flight since the Apollo era.