\u201cHuman beings are the most sophisticated detector there is,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
During their flyby, the astronauts are slated to pass within 6,400-9,000 kilometers of the lunar surface \u2014 \u201cmuch further away\u201d than the Apollo crews, Young said. This will allow the crew to observe large areas simultaneously, much like International Space Station crews are able to view and photograph large swaths of the Earth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe moon will appear to the crew about the size of a basketball held at arm\u2019s length,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019ll be afforded a whole disc view \u2026 that enables them to contextualize the observations that they see in one section of the moon to another section of the moon in the blink of an eye.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Artemis II trajectory will afford the crew several hours of visibility of the lunar surface, during which they are to take photos with handheld cameras, provide \u201csome really, really nuanced verbal descriptions\u201d and make annotations in field notebooks based on a lunar targeting plan, Young said. Software on their tablets will provide reference materials on lunar geography.<\/p>\n
In preparation, \u201cwe get [the astronauts] in the classroom,\u201d she said. \u201cWe get them in tabletop activities where we put the moon visualizations at the right distance away from them, we give them the flight hardware, and we have them rep the activities that they\u2019ll have: photographing and describing the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/artemis-II-crew-practice-photography-lunar-observation-training-1024x768.jpg\")
Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman (front) and Jeremy Hansen (back) practice photographing the moon at NASA Johnson: NASA\/Kelsey Young<\/p>\n
For additional prep, NASA sent the astronauts to Iceland in mid-2024, so they could see firsthand \u201cterrain that looks a lot like what they will be seeing\u201d on the moon, Young said. Apollo crews also visited the country to prepare for their lunar surface expeditions.<\/p>\n
The Artemis II crew has also conducted practice runs of collecting imagery, she said. \u201cWe make giant inflatable moon globes [and] \u2026 hang it up at the right geometry and distance away from the Orion mockup down at the Johnson Space Center,\u201d Young said. \u201cWe put [the crew] inside of the Orion vehicle, give them the cameras and have them practice in the actual physical space that they\u2019ll be executing the flyby in.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/artemis-II-crew-in-iceland-for-lunar-observation-training-1024x683.jpg\")
Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch (right) with the mission\u2019s geology lead Cindy Evens (left) in 2024 during geology training in Iceland. Credit: NASA\/Robert Markowitz<\/p>\n
NASA has 10 lunar science objectives for Artemis II, she said, the top two of which are for the astronauts to collect imagery and observations about \u201ccolor provinces and albedo variation\u201d \u2014 meaning variation in light reflectivity \u2014 and \u201cimpact flashes,\u201d or the bursts of light caused by a solid object hitting the moon\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they describe color and albedo, that tells us about composition, what is the surface made up of?\u201d Young said. \u201cWhen they describe geologic features, that tells us about the history [and] the geologic evolution of the surface of the moon. When they look at the terminator\u201d \u2014 the line dividing lunar day from night \u2014 \u201cand the limb, that tells us things about subtle morphology.\u201d<\/p>\n
These observations could help NASA determine the best landing sites for future surface excursions by highlighting \u201cthe spots that are best suitable for future surface crews to go and collect those really critical samples,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n