4 HAMS AMONG THOSE CHOSEN TO TRACK ARTEMIS 2 FLIGHT

Thirty-four volunteers from around the world have been chosen by the US Space Agency to track the Orion spacecraft and its crew of four astronauts during the scheduled Artemis 2 test flight. NASA has said that this mission, which includes a trip around the moon, plays a vital role in setting the stage for a return to exploration of the lunar surface. The mission is also viewed as paving the way for the first crewed Mars mission.

Four amateur radio operators are among the 34 observers chosen by NASA in a group that also includes universities, government agencies and private companies. The Canadian Space Agency and the German Aerospace Center are among those chosen. Von Storch Engineering in the Netherlands and Intuitive Machines in Houston, Texas are among the commercial entities selected. Academic institutions include the University of Zurich's Physics Department in Switzerland and the University of New Brunswick in Canada.

The four hams are Chris Swier [pron: SWEER], K1FSD of South Dakota; Dan Slater, AG6HF, and Loretta Smalls, AJ6HO, both of California; and Scott Tilley, VE7TIL of British Columbia, Canada. The hams will be using their radio equipment to track transmissions from the Orion over the course of its 10 days in space.