Artemis II marks the first human mission to embed dedicated science officers in Mission Control, formalizing lunar science as a core part of flight operations.

Astronauts trained with geology-focused preparation, fieldwork in Iceland, and the creation of lunar descriptive toolkits to capture scientifically meaningful observations.

Training simulations placed Artemis II astronauts in realistic mission scenarios, validating how lunar science integrates with Mission Control workflows.

A lunar flyby is planned for early April, during which astronauts will photograph the Moon and record observations that science officers will interpret and relay to Earth.

Kelsey Young leads Artemis II lunar science, joined by Trevor Graff and Angela Garcia, who completed extensive flight controller training and simulations.

The mission will test and refine science operations with real-time data analysis and guidance channeled through the Science Evaluation Room and Science Mission Operations Room at Johnson Space Center.

Science officers serve as senior flight controllers for lunar science and geology, coordinating with other disciplines to embed science objectives into mission execution.