NASA Fixes Artemis II Astronaut's Outlook Glitch

Mission Control remotely accessed the crew's Microsoft Surface Pro to resolve the technical issue.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:53pm

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones of brown, green, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex communication networks and data flows that enable NASA's Artemis II mission.NASA's intricate network of ground stations, satellites, and onboard systems enables seamless communication with the Artemis II spacecraft, even when facing minor technical glitches like an astronaut's email troubles.Houston Today

During Artemis II's journey to the Moon, commander Reid Wiseman reported to Mission Control that he was having trouble with Microsoft Outlook on his personal computing device, a Microsoft Surface Pro. NASA's flight director Judd Frieling stated that the agency was able to remotely access Wiseman's device and reload his Outlook files to get the email program working again, a common issue when devices are not directly connected to a network.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a critical step in NASA's plans to return humans to the lunar surface, and maintaining reliable communication and onboard systems is essential. This Outlook glitch, while a minor technical issue, highlights the challenges of operating complex technology in the harsh environment of space.

The details

During a livestream of the Artemis II mission, commander Reid Wiseman reported to Mission Control that he was experiencing issues with two instances of Microsoft Outlook on his personal computing device, a Microsoft Surface Pro. To resolve the problem, Mission Control remotely accessed Wiseman's device and reloaded his Outlook files, a common troubleshooting step when devices are not directly connected to a network. NASA uses a combination of its Near Space Network and Deep Space Network to stay in touch with Artemis II, which requires shifting communications as the spacecraft travels farther from Earth.

  • On Thursday, during Artemis II's journey to the Moon, commander Reid Wiseman reported the Outlook issue.
  • During a press conference on Thursday, Artemis flight director Judd Frieling said NASA had fixed the issue.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission.

Judd Frieling

The Artemis flight director who oversaw the resolution of the Outlook issue.

NASA

The U.S. space agency responsible for the Artemis II mission and the astronauts' onboard technology.

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What they’re saying

“I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one of those are working.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Commander

“This is not uncommon. We have this on-station all the time. You know, sometimes Outlook has issues getting configured, especially when you don't have a network that's directly connected. And so essentially we just had to reload his files on Outlook to get it working.”

— Judd Frieling, Artemis Flight Director

What’s next

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to continue its journey to the Moon, with the crew expected to perform a lunar flyby and return to Earth in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Even astronauts in the harsh environment of space can experience common technology issues like email software problems. NASA's ability to remotely troubleshoot and resolve these types of glitches is crucial for maintaining mission operations and communication during long-duration spaceflight.