Mission Milestones
Crew
About This Tracker
This tracker displays the real-time position of NASA's Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II mission. Trajectory data comes from NASA's JPL Horizons ephemeris service (NAIF ID -1024), with embedded predicted trajectory data as a fallback.
The 2D visualization is a PCA projection of the 3D ICRF state vectors onto an optimal viewing plane, preserving the geometric features of the Earth-Moon free-return trajectory.
Artemis II FAQ
What is Artemis II?
Artemis II is NASA's first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Four astronauts orbit the Moon in the Orion spacecraft on a ~10-day free-return trajectory, testing systems for future lunar landings.
Is this tracker real-time?
Yes. The tracker fetches fresh trajectory vectors from NASA's JPL Horizons ephemeris service every 5 minutes. Between updates, the spacecraft position is interpolated from the latest data. If the live feed is unavailable, embedded predicted trajectory data is used as a fallback.
Why does the trajectory curve?
Artemis II follows a free-return trajectory — after the Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn, the spacecraft coasts to the Moon, swings around it using lunar gravity, and returns to Earth without needing another major engine burn. The curved path results from the gravitational influence of both Earth and the Moon.
What do the trail colors mean?
Each color represents a mission phase: orange for Launch/LEO, yellow for High Earth Orbit, green for TLI (Trans-Lunar Injection), blue for Outbound coast, purple for Lunar Flyby, cyan for Return, and pink for Re-entry. The bright trail shows where Orion has been; the dashed trail shows the planned future path.
How close does Orion get to the Moon?
At perilune (closest approach), Orion passes approximately 6,600 km above the lunar surface — close enough for the crew to see craters with the naked eye, but following a safe free-return trajectory.
Who are the Artemis II crew?
Commander Reid Wiseman (USN), Pilot Victor Glover (USN), Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (CSA/Canada). Hansen is the first non-American to fly on a lunar mission.
What is JPL Horizons?
JPL Horizons is NASA's ephemeris computation service operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It provides precise position and velocity data (state vectors) for solar system objects, spacecraft, and planetary bodies. This tracker uses NAIF ID -1024 for the Orion spacecraft.