Morehead State University (MSU) has exciting news! NASA has picked MSU to help track the Artemis II mission—the first crewed flight in the Artemis program. This mission aims to return humans to the Moon, and MSU is joining forces with seven other educational institutions worldwide.
Using its 21-meter high-gain antenna at the Space Science Center, MSU will provide crucial tracking data. This collaboration is part of a broader push to improve deep-space communications and navigation. In late 2025, NASA called for volunteer ground stations to support Artemis II, and MSU answered the challenge. With its experience in cislunar space and top-notch facilities, the university was chosen after outlining its capabilities and operational plan.
What’s even more fascinating is the involvement of MSU students. They will get hands-on experience at the Space Science Center, where they will help keep systems running, support real-time operations, and participate directly in mission phases. Dr. Andrea Togni, an assistant professor at MSU, highlighted the significance of this opportunity. “Not many students get to operate a professional deep-space ground station; even fewer track spacecraft in deep space,” she said.
The Artemis II mission will launch aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, carrying the Orion spacecraft and four astronauts on a lunar flyby. This journey is set to last about ten days, marking the first time in over 50 years that humans will travel that far from Earth. By tracking Orion’s radio signals, the MSU team will collect data essential for navigating through deep space, helping NASA evaluate and enhance its communication systems.
As operations commence, the MSU team will predict Orion’s position, fine-tune antenna pointing, record signals, and process data. This effort builds on MSU’s previous experience with Artemis I and other missions, demonstrating its multidisciplinary expertise in fields like mechanical engineering, electronics, and radio science.
Tracking a spacecraft moving at over 2,000 miles per hour from 254,000 miles away requires cutting-edge equipment and skills. These efforts are vital for ensuring astronaut safety and paving the way for future exploration missions to Mars and beyond.
For more detailed insights, you can explore NASA’s plans for the Artemis program here.
