The astronauts selected to carry humanity back around the Moon have entered quarantine, marking a major milestone in preparations for NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission.
Late Friday, NASA confirmed that astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, began the agency’s Health Stabilization Program — a controlled pre-launch quarantine designed to protect crews from illness that could delay liftoff.
The Artemis II crew is shown inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in front of their Orion crew module on Aug. 8, 2023. From left are: Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; Victor Glover, pilot; Reid Wiseman, commander; and Christina Hammock Koch, mission specialist. NASA/Kim Shiflett
The program typically begins about two weeks before launch. Starting it now gives mission managers added flexibility as teams continue working toward possible launch opportunities in February. NASA has not yet announced an official launch date, as testing of the rocket, spacecraft, and ground systems is still underway. Depending on the outcome of the upcoming wet dress rehearsal and other operational factors, the crew could temporarily exit quarantine and then re-enter the full 14-day period once a firm launch date is set.
The astronauts are beginning quarantine in Houston. If preparations continue smoothly and the mission remains on track for a February flight, the crew will travel to Kennedy Space Center roughly six days before launch. There, they will reside in the astronaut crew quarters inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, where final pre-flight activities will take place.
During quarantine, the Artemis II astronauts will continue mission training, including high-fidelity simulations and medical evaluations, while limiting their exposure to the public. Contact with family, friends, and colleagues will continue under strict health guidelines, with precautions such as masking, distancing, and avoiding public spaces.
At Kennedy Space Center, ground teams are pushing ahead with launch preparations for the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. NASA says all major checkouts of mechanical power systems, cryogenic propellant lines, and engines at Launch Pad 39B have been completed. The pad perimeter is scheduled to be cleared of non-essential personnel starting Saturday, Jan. 24, ahead of planned booster servicing over the weekend.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the United States, NASA and U.S. Department of Defense recovery teams are conducting final “just-in-time” training at sea. These exercises rehearse the complex operations required to retrieve the Orion spacecraft and its crew after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Following launch, recovery forces will begin deploying toward the expected landing zone.
Artemis II is slated to last about 10 days and will send the crew on a historic flight around the Moon — the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972. As the opening human flight of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the mission is designed to validate life-support systems, navigation, communications, and spacecraft performance in deep space.
NASA officials say the data gathered on Artemis II will be critical for enabling more ambitious missions, including sustained exploration of the lunar surface, the development of a long-term Moon economy, and laying the groundwork for the agency’s first crewed missions to Mars.
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