\u201cRobust space communications aren\u2019t optional; they\u2019re the essential link that unites the crew and the exploration team on Earth to ensure safety and mission success, as I learned firsthand living and working aboard the International Space Station,\u201d said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA\u2019s Space Operations Mission Directorate at the agency\u2019s headquarters in Washington. \u201cFrom real-time conversations with mission controllers, to the data that drives critical decisions and research, and even calls home \u2014 space communications keep astronauts connected to\u00a0mission managers, technical experts, loved ones,\u00a0and everyone on Earth who wants to share in the excitement of our exploration missions. As we push farther into deep space, reliable communications links will enable more challenging missions and maximize the benefit for all of us on Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Ken](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/new-nasa-logo.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n
Ken Bowersox<\/p>\n
Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate<\/p>\n
Specialists will operate its networks in tandem to enable data exchange between spacecraft and mission controllers on Earth. NASA\u2019s Mission Control Center at the agency\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston will track the Space Launch System rocket, Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage<\/a>, and Orion spacecraft through coordinated handoffs between the networks\u2019 multiple assets on Earth and in space for the duration of the mission.<\/p>\n Using ground stations around the globe and a fleet of relay satellites, the Near Space Network<\/a> will provide communications and navigation services during multiple stages of the Artemis II mission operations. The network, managed by NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has a long legacy of supporting human spaceflight missions near Earth.<\/p>\n After Orion\u2019s translunar injection burn, which will set the spacecraft on its planned orbit around the Moon, primary communications support will transition to the Deep Space Network<\/a>, managed by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The network\u2019s international array of giant radio antennas, located in California, Spain, and Australia, provides a near-continuous connection to Orion<\/a> and its crew.<\/p>\n \u201cReliable communications are the lifeline of human spaceflight,\u201d said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for the SCaN Program at NASA Headquarters. \u201cOur networks help make missions like Artemis II possible and set the stage for even more ambitious space exploration in the years ahead. These achievements are driven not only by NASA\u2019s infrastructure but also by strong collaboration with our commercial partners, who play a critical role in advancing the capabilities and resilience of space communications.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to traditional radio network support, the spacecraft will host the\u00a0Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System<\/a>, a laser communications terminal that will transmit real science and crew data over laser links. Demonstrations like the recent\u00a0Deep Space Optical Communications<\/a> payload have proven laser communications systems can send more than 100 times more data than comparable radio networks, even millions of miles away from Earth. While laser communications will not be on Artemis III, the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System could pave the way for future laser communications systems at the Moon and Mars.<\/p>\n The Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System payload is only one piece of NASA\u2019s larger mission to improve lunar and deep space communications. Orion will experience a planned communications blackout lasting approximately 41 minutes. The blackout will occur as the spacecraft passes behind the Moon, blocking radio frequency signals to and from Earth. Similar blackouts occurred during the Apollo-era missions and are expected when using an Earth-based network infrastructure. When Orion reemerges from behind the Moon, the Deep Space Network will quickly reacquire Orion\u2019s signal and restore communications with mission control. These planned blackouts remain an aspect of all missions operating on or around the Moon\u2019s far side.<\/p>\n Each Artemis mission will build upon existing capabilities, including data processing and handling. For the Artemis II flight test, data from Orion will be compressed after it reaches Earth to manage the large amount of information. Data compression will reduce image and video quality and give priority to crew communications and mission data.<\/p>\n Looking ahead, NASA\u2019s Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Systems<\/a> project is collaborating with industry to eliminate blackouts and support precise navigation by placing relay satellites around the Moon. This network of orbiting satellites will deliver persistent, high-bandwidth communications and navigation services for astronauts, landers, and orbiters on and around the lunar surface. In 2024, NASA selected Intuitive Machines<\/a> to develop the first set of lunar relays for demonstration during the Artemis III lunar surface mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0From liftoff to splashdown, NASA\u2019s evolving networks will serve as the crew\u2019s link home, ensuring that humanity\u2019s return to the Moon stays connected every step of the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s Artemis II mission will transport four astronauts around the Moon, bringing the agency one step closer to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269075,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[2305,10557,105091,1507,61,60,14738,82,247,105092,94908],"class_list":{"0":"post-269074","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-space","8":"tag-artemis","9":"tag-artemis-2","10":"tag-communicating-and-navigating-with-missions","11":"tag-goddard-space-flight-center","12":"tag-ie","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-jet-propulsion-laboratory","15":"tag-science","16":"tag-space","17":"tag-space-communications-navigation-program","18":"tag-technology-demonstration"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269074"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269074\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}