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South West to Play Key Role in Artemis 2 Mission Trip to the Moon
Goonhilly Earth Station near Helston will track NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft and support space weather monitoring, advancing UK’s role in Moon-to-Mars exploration.
Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall will provide critical tracking support for the Artemis mission, which launches from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in early April, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.
Building on its heritage of broadcasting the Apollo Moon landing in 1969, Goonhilly continues to support Nasa missions, having previously provided critical communication and tracking support for Artemis I in 2022.
Goonhilly will track the Orion spacecraft throughout its lunar journey, ensuring readiness for future crewed missions; the launch window is restricted to between Wednesday and next Monday or the mission must wait until month-end.
Matthew Cosby, chief technology officer of Goonhilly Earth Station, said: "Artemis II marks a significant milestone in humanity's return to the Moon, and we're proud that the capabilities developed here in Cornwall are contributing to that mission."
Baroness Lloyd, the UK government minister responsible for space, added: "This partnership with Nasa shows what British expertise and innovation can achieve on the world stage," while Goonhilly explores space weather solutions with the Space Agency.