Goonhilly to Support NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission

A space facility in Cornwall is set to play a part in a major moment for human spaceflight, as Goonhilly prepares to support NASA’s Artemis II mission.

Goonhilly Earth Station will passively track the Orion spacecraft as it travels around the Moon and returns to Earth, marking the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.

Cornwall’s Role in Artemis II

Based in Cornwall, Goonhilly is the world’s first commercial deep space ground station. Its involvement in Artemis II highlights the UK’s capability to support complex space missions from British soil.

The Artemis programme aims to return humans to lunar orbit, and Goonhilly will take part by tracking the Orion spacecraft during its journey beyond low Earth orbit.

This follows earlier work in 2022, when Goonhilly supported NASA’s Artemis I mission. Using its 32-metre GHY-6 antenna, the team tracked the uncrewed Orion spacecraft and communicated with six CubeSats launched during the mission.

For Artemis II, the focus will shift to tracking a crewed spacecraft as it flies around the Moon and returns to Earth.

Supporting Future Space Exploration

Alongside its work on Artemis II, Goonhilly is also working with the UK Space Agency and NASA on potential downlink solutions for near real time space weather monitoring.

This work is linked to NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, known as IMAP. The mission is designed to study particle acceleration and the boundary to interstellar space, while also providing solar wind and space weather observations from Sun Earth Lagrange Point 1.

Imperial College London has contributed to IMAP by designing and building one of its ten instruments, a magnetometer that will measure the magnetic field around the spacecraft.

The data gathered from IMAP and similar missions plays a role in NASA’s wider Moon to Mars plans, which support future crewed exploration beyond the Moon.

A Long History in Space Communication

Matthew Cosby, CTO, 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. From our site, we will support tracking of the Orion spacecraft, showcasing our readiness for future crewed Artemis missions. At the same time, we are positioning the UK to play a key role in NASA’s longer term Moon to Mars exploration strategy.”

UK Space Minister Liz Lloyd added: “From broadcasting the Apollo 11 Moon landing to the world in 1969, to now supporting NASA’s return to the Moon with Artemis II, Goonhilly’s rich heritage in space communication continues to inspire. It’s fantastic to see Cornwall once again at the heart of a truly historic moment in human spaceflight. This partnership with NASA shows what British expertise and innovation can achieve on the world stage, while creating opportunities for skilled jobs and growth right here in the UK.”

Goonhilly remains one of a limited number of organisations worldwide with the infrastructure and expertise needed for deep space communications. From its role in broadcasting the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 to supporting modern missions to the Moon and beyond, the site continues to contribute to space exploration.

Goonhilly’s participation in tracking Orion for Artemis II will be carried out on a voluntary basis. Its work on IMAP is being funded by the UK Space Agency and carried out in collaboration with NASA, subject to final approvals.