This Week in Space 179: The New Crew of Artemis II

Recorded: September 26, 2025
Host: Rod Pyle & Tarek Malik
Special Guest: Josh Dinner (Space.com reporter)
Main Theme: NASA’s Artemis II mission—launch windows, crew, mission details, and the unveiling of NASA’s new astronaut class.

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into NASA’s Artemis II mission—the first crewed lunar mission in over fifty years—detailing its launch schedule, new crew members, mission plan, key technical issues, and the excitement (and challenges) surrounding renewed public and media interest in human spaceflight. Rod Pyle and Tarek Malik are joined by Josh Dinner from Space.com, who attended the recent NASA Artemis II media days and the presentation of the new 2025 astronaut class.

Headline News & Space Updates

1. Euclid’s Universe Simulation

• ESA’s Euclid Consortium released the largest simulation of the universe to date: 3.4 billion digital galaxies, tracking 4 trillion particles (06:03).
• Tool is essential for validating and preparing for the data deluge from the real Euclid space telescope.
• Rod Pyle:

  "They use a supercomputer called Piz Daint… to create a simulation of the universe based on the data they have to date so they can understand the sheer onslaught of Euclid’s data." [07:30]

2. ESCAPADE Mars Mission

• Rocket Lab’s twin Escapade spacecraft arrived at Kennedy Space Center; planned for launch to Mars on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket (09:14).
• Will study plasma escape and atmospheric loss on Mars; cost-effective at ~$80 million.
• Tarek Malik:

  “If this works, this is a whole new ball game for American robotic space exploration.” [10:23]

3. Dream Chaser Spaceplane Update

• NASA revised cargo contracts—Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser spaceplane will likely fly fewer ISS missions before the station is decommissioned in 2030 (12:52).
• Unique for its runway landing and lifting-body design; first launch expected soon.

Artemis II: All Eyes on the New Moon Crew

NASA’s Media Rollout & Insider Experiences

• Josh Dinner and Tarek attended Artemis II media days at Johnson Space Center: Mission briefings, crew reveal, and new astronaut class announcement (18:03).
• Josh Dinner describes his journey from synagogue cantor to space reporter:

  "Music has this very powerful way of bringing people together...I saw my first rocket launch and thought, think of all the people who had to come together to build this rocket...that spoke to me on as deep a level." [21:06]

Mission Launch Windows & Schedule (23:00–25:00)

• NASA announces Artemis II’s first crewed SLS launch window opens February 5, 2026; backup windows in March and late April.
• Most February/March launch windows likely to be nighttime launches.
• Tarek Malik (24:10):

  “Now there is like a very slight chance that Artemis 2 could launch on my birthday and wouldn't that be awesome?”

• Team reflects on past delays and the unpredictability of launches—echoes of space shuttle era waiting games.

Artemis II Flight Plan (33:10–38:43)

• Free return trajectory: No lunar orbit; spacecraft will slingshot around the moon and return to Earth.
• Closest approach: 5,000–9,000 miles from the lunar surface (potential to beat Apollo 13’s human deep-space distance record).
• Timeline:
  • Several days in Earth orbit for systems checks, close-quarters maneuvers
  • About 10 days total from launch to splashdown
  • Only 3 hours near far side of the Moon
• Closest view: The Moon will appear “the size of a basketball at arm’s length” to the crew (34:21).

The Artemis II Crew

Introducing the Four-Member Crew (29:54–32:22)

• Reid Wiseman: Commander, former chief astronaut, ISS veteran

• Victor Glover: Pilot, ISS Crew-1 and seasoned spacewalker

• Christina Koch: Mission specialist, record 328 days in space (longest single spaceflight for a woman)

• Jeremy Hansen: Canadian Space Agency astronaut, Artemis II will be his first spaceflight

• Josh Dinner:

  “They seem like some pretty genuine friends who are really excited for the journey they get to go on together.” [30:09]

• Note: Hansen stands out as both the tallest and as a rookie—his first flight will be around the moon.

Mission and Capsule Naming (27:06)

• The Orion spacecraft for Artemis II is named “Integrity”—crew chose it to emphasize unity and purpose.
• Rod Pyle:

  “Integrity is extremely important…you also want to make sure that your ship has integrity to keep them alive on the first mission around the moon in 53 years.” [28:48]

Challenges and Technical Insights

Mission Control & Engineering

• Young, diverse team: Most flight controllers for Artemis II are in their early to mid-30s (51:47).
• Drawing on Apollo-era expertise for troubleshooting.
• Rod reflects:

  “I was barely a responsible, breathing adult when I was in my 30s…how do you control a mission out to the moon and back?” [52:18]

Heat Shield Woes and Solutions (57:48–59:12)

• Orion’s heat shield lost chunks during Artemis I reentry due to “mechanical liberation.”
• NASA’s fix: Change the reentry trajectory to a shallower, less stressful path—no need to redesign the shield.
• Josh Dinner:

  “The angle and trajectory … caused mechanical liberation. For Artemis II, they’re skipping this skip off the atmosphere.” [58:38]

Spacesuit and Crew Survival (55:05)

• Detailed discussion of Orion pressure suits—crew could survive in suits for up to 144 hours if necessary.
• “A really complicated system where they strap devices on the front and the rear to be able to go to the bathroom … it sounds extremely complicated.” —Rod Pyle [56:12]

Reflections on Public Interest & Media

• Will Artemis II grab public attention?
• Josh Dinner:

  “Unfortunately…I don’t think that the mission will get the coverage that it is warranted. … Thanks to CGI and movie magic … I think there’s a chance that actually seeing astronauts on the moon…will be lost on people who say, ‘Oh, we already did that.’” [44:48–47:06]

• Rod and Tarek discuss NASA’s evolving outreach, potential for influencer engagement, and the massive generational shift in both mission teams and audiences.

EVA Training & Post-flight Plans (60:44–62:27)

• Josh’s highlight: Watching Artemis spacesuit EVA training—a bungee system simulates lunar gravity as astronauts practice collecting moon rocks.
• Artemis II astronauts will be subjected to immediate physical tasks and lunar-simulated activities upon return, to study how deep-space travel impacts post-mission capability—no three-week quarantine as in Apollo days.

The 2025 Astronaut Class (63:02–71:27)

• NASA announces ten new astronaut candidates: six women, four men, including ultimate frisbee champs, Mars rover geologists, SpaceX veterans, pilots, and medical officers (63:30–65:51).

• Diversity: Noted for breadth of skills, backgrounds—but also for being a less racially diverse class than previous years.

• Lauren Edgar spotlight: 17-year NASA Mars geologist now on track for a flight assignment; famous for her handstands (67:55–69:24).

• Politics and public statements discussed:

  “[NASA Acting Administrator said] he’ll be damned if China beats the United States back to the moon…He also said…the best and the brightest and then he said the best looking people, which felt a little gratuitous.” —Rod Pyle [70:08]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Music has this very powerful way of bringing people together…think of all the people who had to come together to build this rocket…that spoke to me on as deep a level. And I instantly said, I need to become a space reporter.”—Josh Dinner (21:06)
• “If this works, this is a whole new ball game for American robotic space exploration.” —Tarek Malik on Escapade (10:23)
• "I was barely a responsible, breathing adult when I was in my 30s…how do you control a mission out to the moon and back?" —Tarek Malik (52:18)
• "[The astronauts] seem like a very solid crew...some pretty genuine friends who are really excited for the journey." —Josh Dinner (30:09)
• “I don’t think that the mission will get the coverage that it is warranted…I think there’s a chance that actually seeing astronauts on the moon…will be lost on people who say, ‘Oh, we already did that.’” —Josh Dinner (44:48–47:06)
• A lighter moment:

  “She likes to do handstands everywhere. So that'll be fun to see if she does one on the moon, I got to say.” —Rod Pyle on Lauren Edgar (69:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 06:00 — Euclid Universe Simulation
• 09:14 — ESCAPADE Mars mission update
• 12:52 — Dream Chaser spaceplane status
• 18:03 — Introducing guest Josh Dinner and his space journey
• 23:00 — Artemis II launch windows, planning, and challenges
• 29:54 — Artemis II crew intro and chemistry
• 33:10 — Artemis II mission plan and flight timeline
• 38:43 — Human factors, public engagement, and media coverage
• 55:05 — Crew suit survival systems and engineering
• 57:48 — Orion heat shield solution
• 63:30 — New astronaut class announcement and profiles
• 67:55 — Lauren Edgar profile and "handstand" fun fact
• 70:08 — NASA admin’s space race rhetoric, selection remarks

Closing Thoughts

The Artemis II mission represents a monumental technical and cultural milestone: the return of humans to lunar space after half a century. While NASA’s workforce is younger, more diverse, and increasingly media-savvy, the road ahead is still uncertain—not just technically, but in terms of engaging a public whose attention is ever more divided.

Rod Pyle, Tarek Malik, and Josh Dinner bring both enthusiasm and critical perspective to the show, highlighting not only the advances but also the open questions and social context of the new Moon race.

Further Reading & Contact

• Find Josh Dinner’s reporting at Space.com and on social media @JoshDinner.
• Tarek Malik: Space.com, @tarikjmalik
• Rod Pyle: pilebooks.com, astromagazine.com

Next episode: Stay tuned for more Artemis updates, new space tech, and in-depth reporting from the TWiT team.

For full episodes and more, subscribe to This Week in Space (TWiT.tv).