Design

January 28, 2026, 10:26 PM EST. NASA's Artemis II will carry four astronauts around the Moon, highlighting the agency's push toward Mars. Throughout the mission, voices, images, and mission data traverse thousands of miles via NASA's Near Space Network and Deep Space Network, overseen by the SCaN program office. Specialists operate the networks in tandem to relay data between Orion, the Space Launch System, and mission controllers on Earth. The Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center will track assets and manage handoffs as the crew orbits Earth, travels to the Moon, and returns. The networks support real-time communications, health and safety data, and imagery, ensuring safety and mission success as exploration extends deeper into space.