HOUSTON – Before astronauts aboard Artemis II ever left Earth, they spent years inside a simulator in Houston preparing for nearly every scenario they could face in space.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, crews trained for three years inside a mock Orion capsule, rehearsing everything from routine operations to system failures.
The training offers a rare look at how astronauts prepared for a mission that would send humans farther into space than ever before.
The Orion Mission Simulator, managed by project manager Grace Lauderdale, is designed to closely replicate the spacecraft’s systems and environment.
“The crew has been training here for the last three years,” Lauderdale said. “They come at least twice a week, sometimes three or four.”
Inside, astronauts practiced for long stretches, sometimes spending up to 30 hours in the simulator at a time, working through potential problems and mission scenarios.
“You don’t want to train them on everything going right,” Lauderdale said.
The simulator recreates key elements of spaceflight, including lighting conditions, audio cues and window views, to immerse crews as much as possible.
It also connects to mission control systems, allowing ground teams to train alongside astronauts in real time.
That coordination is critical, officials said, because much of the spacecraft can be controlled from Earth.
“The whole vehicle is controlled from Houston,” Lauderdale said.
Still, astronauts must be ready to take over manually when needed. Training includes practicing how to maneuver the spacecraft using hand controllers and understanding when to override automated systems.
NASA teams continue using the simulator even while the mission is underway.
Bill Frank, chief training officer at NASA’s Mission Training Center, said teams recently used the simulator to work through a propellant valve issue.
“Why not just take the specific procedure for today’s specific context and just run it through and make sure there’s no surprises,” Frank said.
Beyond operating the spacecraft, astronauts also trained to document the mission, capturing images that serve both scientific and public purposes.
Paul Reichert, a NASA photography specialist, said his team carefully selected camera equipment that could meet mission requirements while fitting strict size and weight limits inside the Orion capsule.
The spacecraft only allows about 15 to 20 pounds for camera gear, forcing teams to prioritize versatile equipment.
“We tried to pick equipment that could do the most with what we had,” Reichert said.
The crew used a mix of cameras, including a Nikon D5 with a telephoto lens for detailed images of the moon and Earth, a wide-angle lens for interior and star shots and additional cameras for video and live views to mission control.
Astronauts also used iPhones to capture photos and video inside the tight cabin.
Reichert said part of his role included training astronauts, many of whom have limited photography experience, to capture high-quality images during the mission.
“You take them and you kind of mold them into understanding how you get these photos,” he said.
When the images from the lunar flyby began coming in, Reichert said the results exceeded expectations.
“There were several times that I looked at a photo and said, ‘Are you kidding me?’” he said.
NASA officials said the training, from operating spacecraft systems to capturing imagery, is designed to prepare astronauts for both expected tasks and unexpected challenges.
The images and data collected during Artemis II are expected to support future missions as NASA continues its return to deep space exploration.