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<\/a><\/figure>Seven\u00a0weeks\u00a0after\u00a0the Orion spacecraft\u00a0returned\u00a0four\u00a0astronauts from\u00a0humanity\u2019s\u00a0first crewed journey around the Moon since Apollo,\u00a0Artemis II\u00a0Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez reflected on the mission\u2019s achievements and how\u00a0it is shaping NASA\u2019s return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Introduced by\u00a0NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center\u00a0Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration\u00a0Monte Goforth, Rodriguez spoke at the Ion in Houston on May 28 as part of the NASA Stories at the Ion speaker series.\u00a0Located in Houston\u2019s\u00a0Ion\u00a0District,\u00a0the innovation hub\u00a0serves as a gathering place for entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry leaders working to advance technology and shape the future of industries ranging from aerospace to energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She shared an inside look at the mission she helped guide\u00a0\u2014\u00a0as the Orion\u00a0vehicle manager\u00a0for Artemis II,\u00a0Rodriguez\u00a0has overseen\u00a0the\u00a0life of\u00a0the\u00a0spacecraft\u00a0from end-to-end,\u00a0through\u00a0its\u00a0development,\u00a0production,\u00a0execution\u00a0of the mission,\u00a0and\u00a0currently,\u00a0the\u00a0post-mission\u00a0work underway\u00a0now that Orion is\u00a0back at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis mission was very near and dear to my heart,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cIt has not sunk in what this mission and what this accomplishment all means to us and humanity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/figure>Launched April 1, Artemis II carried NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with\u00a0CSA (Canadian Space Agency)\u00a0astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day\u00a0voyage\u00a0around the Moon\u00a0inside the Orion spacecraft.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Using mission imagery and video, Rodriguez walked attendees through key milestones,\u00a0including launch aboard NASA\u2019s SLS (Space Launch System)\u00a0rocket, operations in high-Earth orbit, a lunar flyby, and Orion\u2019s return to Earth. She also shared views\u00a0from Orion\u00a0captured by the crew, including Earthrise, detailed images of the lunar surface, and a solar eclipse\u00a0observed\u00a0from deep space.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Artemis II successfully\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0Orion\u2019s performance\u00a0during its first crewed deep space mission. The mission tested Orion\u2019s life support\u00a0systems, crew interfaces, navigation, and reentry systems, providing data that will help teams prepare for\u00a0upcoming\u00a0Artemis missions.\u00a0The crew\u00a0also\u00a0completed a\u00a0manual piloting demonstration<\/a>,\u00a0evaluating\u00a0Orion handling\u00a0and\u00a0proximity operations that will inform\u00a0future\u00a0rendezvous and docking activities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think it really hit me at T-minus 10 seconds,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0when we go into \u2018terminal count,\u2019 meaning there\u2019s just no turning back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Rodriguez emphasized that\u00a0Orion\u2019s success on\u00a0Artemis II was the result of global teamwork across NASA centers, industry partners, and international agencies. She highlighted the European Service Module, provided by ESA (European Space Agency), which supplies Orion with power, propulsion, oxygen, water, and other resources needed during flight. In the\u00a0Orion Mission Evaluation Room\u00a0at Johnson<\/a>, more than 300 people supported the mission,\u00a0monitoring\u00a0spacecraft\u00a0systems and standing ready to respond in real time.\u00a0Among the mission\u2019s more personal touches was Rise, Orion\u2019s zero-gravity indicator. The plushie, created by a student through an\u00a0Artemis II design competition<\/a>, carried a memory card\u00a0containing\u00a0over 5.6 million names of space fans who signed up through NASA\u2019s \u201cSend Your Name with Artemis\u201d effort.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is what the crew wanted \u2013 to bring all of us with them on this mission,\u201d Rodriguez said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The crew also designed the mission patch with a hidden detail: viewed from a distance, the artwork reads \u201call\u201d \u2013 a deliberate tribute to everyone who made the mission\u00a0a success.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a village that makes this possible, absolutely,\u201d she said.\u00a0Looking ahead,\u00a0Rodriguez discussed preparations underway for\u00a0upcoming\u00a0Artemis missions.\u00a0Artemis III<\/a>\u00a0will test critical rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial human landing systems in low Earth orbit and advance plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface.\u00a0On June 9, NASA announced the\u00a0Artemis III crew<\/a>\u00a0at Johnson Space Center in Houston, while\u00a0hardware for\u00a0future\u00a0missions is already in production\u00a0at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Rodriguez, Artemis II\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0what is possible when thousands of people work toward a common goal,\u00a0supporting\u00a0NASA\u2019s\u00a0vision\u00a0of\u00a0a sustained presence at the Moon\u00a0and, ultimately,\u00a0human\u00a0missions to Mars.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to take time to build this all up,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cBut we are off and running.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n