Artemis II Crew Reveals Playlist of Wake-Up Songs

Astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft share the music that starts their days on the way to the moon.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 5:00am

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An abstract close-up photograph of a glittering, reflective disco ball, capturing the vibrant, high-energy mood of the Artemis II crew's musical wake-up routine.The Artemis II crew's musical wake-up calls bring a sense of joy and celebration to their historic journey to the moon.Houston Today

The Artemis II crew, including CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, have been waking up to a different song each morning during their mission to the moon. The NASA Instagram account has now shared the full playlist, which includes tracks by artists like Queen, David Bowie, Young & Sick, John Legend, and Glass Animals.

Why it matters

The tradition of waking up astronauts with music has been around for over 50 years, dating back to the Apollo missions. This playlist provides a glimpse into the daily lives of the Artemis II crew and the small moments that help keep them motivated and energized during their historic journey to the moon.

The details

Each morning, Mission Control in Houston selects a song to wake up the Artemis II crew aboard the Orion spacecraft. The first song they heard was Young & Sick's cover of 'Sleepyhead' by Passion Pit, followed by tracks from John Legend, Freddy Jones Band, Chappell Roan, CeeLo Green, Mandisa & TobyMac, and Glass Animals & Denzel Curry. The playlist also includes the wake-up song for Wednesday: 'Under Pressure' by Queen & David Bowie.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on April 2, 2026.
  • The crew has been waking up to a new song each morning during their journey to the moon.

The players

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) who is part of the Artemis II crew.

Reid Wiseman

A NASA astronaut who is part of the Artemis II crew.

Christina Koch

A NASA astronaut who is part of the Artemis II crew.

Victor Glover

A NASA astronaut who is part of the Artemis II crew.

Mission Control

The team at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas that is responsible for managing and supporting the Artemis II mission.

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What they’re saying

“this is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me in my life ever.”

— Glass Animals

“Thank you sooooo much for having me aboard!! My life will never be the same.”

— Young & Sick

What’s next

The Artemis II crew will continue their journey to the moon, with Mission Control in Houston selecting a new wake-up song for them each morning.

The takeaway

The Artemis II crew's wake-up playlist provides a lighthearted and humanizing glimpse into the daily lives of astronauts on a historic mission to the moon, continuing a tradition that has been around since the Apollo era.