Artemis crew enters quarantine ahead of first crewed journey around the moon, in over half a century

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA Jeremy Hansen, will ensure that they don’t pick up any illness that could delay their mission, by limiting their exposure to others, in the days before they lift off.

NASA Artemis Moonshot The crew of the new NASA moon rocket, Artemis II, take part in a news conference, from left, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist, Christina Koch, pilot Victor Glover and commander Reid Wiseman at the Kennedy Space Center, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (John Raoux/AP)

By Jeremy Goldman

HOUSTON, Tex. — This period, called the health stabilization program, typically starts about 14 days before launch.

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During quarantine, the crew can continue regular contact with friends, family, and colleagues who are able to observe quarantine guidelines, and will avoid public places, wear masks, and maintain distance from others they come into contact with as they continue their final training activities.

Beginning quarantine now helps preserve flexibility as teams work toward potential opportunities in the upcoming February, launch period.

At this time, ‘the agency still has not set an official launch date as testing continues for the rocket and spacecraft. Pending the outcome of the wet dress rehearsal or other operations considerations, the crew can come out of quarantine, and re-enter 14 days before any launch date.’

The crew will begin quarantine in Houston, and if testing continues to go well and activities progress toward a possible launch next month. The Artemis crew will fly to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, about six days ahead of launch.

Following, the Artemis II crew will live in the astronaut crew quarters inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations, & Checkout Building, before launch day.

Meanwhile, teams at Kennedy continue to prepare the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket & Orion spacecraft, along with associated ground systems, ahead of launch.

Teams have since completed all checkouts of mechanical power systems, cryogenic propellant lines, & engines, at Launch Pad 39B.

On the other side of the country, NASA and Department of War teams will work together to safely retrieve the crew & spacecraft, following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. In preparation they’re performing a final simulation of their activities, called a just-in-time training, at sea.

Those teams will begin making their way to Orion’s splashdown location in the days after launch.

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