Southern Launch to Provide Artemis II Tracking Support from South Australia

Southern Launch has been selected to provide tracking support for NASA’s Artemis II Orion mission from the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia.

This crucial support will utilize passive Doppler tracking infrastructure.

Role in Artemis II Mission

The company's involvement in this significant mission will be executed through its partners at Raven Defense. This initiative is a key part of NASA’s ongoing assessment of the broader aerospace community’s tracking capabilities for upcoming Moon and Mars missions.

The process specifically involves passively tracking the Orion spacecraft to gather vital data without transmitting commands or signals to the vehicle. This effort builds upon a successful previous activity during Artemis I in 2022, which saw 10 volunteers tracking the Orion spacecraft.

Advanced Tracking Technology Employed

For the tracking support, Southern Launch will employ a TALON telemetry dish, supplied by Raven Defense.

This system is described as an S-band antenna capable of passive Doppler tracking and flight data collection. The Australian operations are designed to complement Raven Defense’s existing activities in the Northern Hemisphere, providing a more comprehensive global tracking network.

Target Launch Window

NASA is currently targeting a launch for Artemis II on Thursday at 8:45 AM Adelaide time.

Daily launch windows of two hours will be available between April 2 and April 7 (Australian dates), offering multiple opportunities for the mission to begin.