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Planetary Radio • Jan 28, 2026

Artemis II and III: The science that brings us back to the Moon

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On This Episode

Kelsey young portrait

Kelsey Young

Research Space Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Noah petro portrait

Noah Petro

Lab Chief of the Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Bruce betts portrait hq library

Bruce Betts

Chief Scientist / LightSail Program Manager for The Planetary Society

Sarah al ahmed headshot

Sarah Al-Ahmed

Planetary Radio Host and Producer for The Planetary Society

Humans are preparing to return to the Moon. On this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Kelsey Young and Noah Petro, two of the scientists helping turn humanity’s return to the Moon into reality.

Kelsey Young is a research space scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and serves as the Artemis Science Flight Operations Lead. She also leads the Lunar Observations and Imaging Campaign for Artemis II, defining what astronauts will observe, document, and study as they fly around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

Noah Petro is the lab chief of the Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Laboratory at NASA Goddard and the Project Scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. He also serves as the Project Scientist for Artemis III, helping shape the science behind humanity’s first lunar footsteps of the 21st century.

Together, they discuss how Artemis II and Artemis III build on decades of lunar science, how astronauts are being trained to observe the Moon like geologists, and why the Moon’s south pole is such a compelling destination for future exploration.

Then, we wrap up with What’s Up, where Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, shares the story of the first and so far only professional geologist to walk on the Moon.

The Moon in Widescreen
The Moon in Widescreen Apollo 12 astronauts took this picture of the Moon during their coast back to Earth in 1969.Image: NASA/Edited by The Planetary Society
Artemis II at the launchpad
Artemis II at the launchpad NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, which together make up Artemis II, at the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Image: NASA / Keegan Barber
Artemis II astronauts
Artemis II astronauts Astronauts (clockwise from bottom) Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, were selected to fly on NASA's Artemis II mission around the Moon.Image: NASA Johnson Space Center
Artemis II crew meets their ride
Artemis II crew meets their ride Walking toward their Orion crew module are, from left, astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.Image: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Artemis II map
Artemis II map Artemis II will be the first crewed flight of NASA’s deep space exploration system, featuring the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Over roughly 10 days in deep space, four astronauts will test Orion’s systems in their intended environment, paving the way for the Artemis III mission to return humans to the Moon.Image: NASA
Artemis II rollout
Artemis II rollout NASA’s Artemis II mission moves one step closer to launch as its rocket and spacecraft roll out to the pad for final preparations. From left, Artemis II backup crewmembers NASA astronaut André Douglas and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jenni Gibbons stand alongside prime crewmembers NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, posing with NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. The vehicle is secured to the mobile launcher during its 4.2-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 17, 2026. The Artemis II test flight will carry four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth, no later than April 2026.Image: NASA / Joel Kowsky
Apollo 17 orange soil
Apollo 17 orange soil Astronaut and geologist Harrison Schmitt discovered orange soil on the lunar surface during Apollo 17. The soil was later determined to be about 3.6 billion years old and a product of regional volcanic eruptions.Image: NASA

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