The Artemis II mission has returned humanity to lunar environment more than half a century later From the last Apollo missions, and this time we can not only watch the rocket launch on TV: anyone with an internet connection can follow almost step by step what the Orion spacecraft is doing and its exact location in space. All thanks to a NASA tool that works like a kind of "Google Maps" for the journey to the Moon.
From Spain and the rest of Europe, it is possible to consult at any time. the trajectory of Artemis II in real timeUsers can check the distance to Earth and the Moon, the spacecraft's speed, the elapsed mission time, or even use their mobile phones to determine which point in the sky to look for the capsule. Furthermore, the space agency complements this system with live broadcasts and open data designed for the scientific community and enthusiasts.
AROW: The real-time map to follow Artemis II
The heart of this whole system is AROW (Artemis Real-time Orbit Website)A platform created by NASA to show the Orion spacecraft's orbit live during the Artemis II mission. The website uses the same data packets received by Mission Control in Houston, so the public has access, with a slight delay, to the same basic information that engineers use to monitor the flight.
AROW is available from the first minutes after takeoff and remains operational during the approximately ten days that the mission lastsFrom its launch from Earth to its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, the tool represents Orion's position in space in a 3D model, showing its path around our planet, its jump into lunar orbit, and its return home.
When you enter the platform, the first thing you see is a Interactive orbital map with the Orion capsule located on its trajectory. From there you can move the view with the mouse or with your fingers on the screen, zoom in and rotate the camera to locate some key elements: the Earth, the Moon, the Sun and the mission's own trail, which marks the path traveled and the planned one.
In addition to the graphical representation, the bottom of the screen displays the main flight parameters: time elapsed since the start of the missionThe current speed of the spacecraft, its exact distance to Earth, distance to the Moon, and other orbital milestones are displayed. These numbers are updated virtually in real time, so the experience is quite similar to following a commercial flight, only hundreds of thousands of kilometers above the ground.
In some display modes, AROW also shows contextual information about the lunar environment, such as the Apollo mission moon landing sites or prominent geological features on the lunar surface. All of this is based on ephemeris data and state vectors that accurately describe the spacecraft's position and motion.
How to access the tracking website from Spain and Europe
To see the real-time location of Artemis II from any European country, simply access the portal provided by NASA. The agency has published several access links, but they all lead to the same tracking system: the official AROW page within the NASA website.
Some statements make direct reference to the mission's dedicated URL, such as nasa.gov/missions/artemis-ii/arowWhile other materials have used a simplified address such as nasa.gov/trackartemis. In any case, the official NASA links redirect to the same real-time orbit viewer, accessible from desktop and mobile browsers.
Once the website is loaded, the user can choose different views: one that focuses the camera on the Earth, another that is located around the Moon, and a third that places the focus on the Orion capsule. Zoom and rotation controls They allow you to explore the mission's trajectory, anticipate the curve towards the lunar environment, or follow the approach to the final splashdown.
The main panel also includes an icon of “Mission View” Or the mission view, which changes the overall view to a scene closer to the spacecraft, showing Orion's immediate surroundings and allowing the crew to visually locate the Moon. This view is useful for quickly getting an idea of the spacecraft's orientation and phase of the journey.
For most of the journey, AROW remains operational normally, but there is one unavoidable exception: the passage over the far side of the Moon. When the spacecraft crosses this region, communication with Earth is interrupted for about 30 to 50 minutes, so No data or images are receivedFor the public, this translates into a pause in the update, a kind of "silence" that is part of the mission's profile itself.
Follow Artemis II from your mobile: official app and augmented reality
Beyond the web version, NASA has integrated AROW into its official mobile appAvailable free of charge for Android and iOS, this app functions as a kind of command center in your pocket, from which you can access news, live broadcasts, crew profiles, and, of course, the precise location of the Orion spacecraft.
A dedicated tab for the Artemis II mission has been added to the application, bringing together all related resources. This section provides direct access to the mission. real-time tracker, with the same position, distance and speed data that appears on the web, adapted to the mobile screen format.
The main difference compared to the browser is the inclusion of a mode of augmented realityAfter a brief calibration, the user can hold the mobile phone and point it towards the sky — or even towards the ground, if indoors — to see an indicator on the screen that points to the approximate direction in which the capsule is located with respect to its physical position on Earth.
This feature relies on the phone's motion and orientation sensors, so there's no need to go outside or have your eyes on the sky. With the augmented reality tracker, the mission ceases to be purely abstract: it becomes a concrete reference point in space that can be "looked at" with a mobile phone, as if it were a star moving beyond our sight.
The activation of AR mode is not immediate after launch. According to details provided by NASA, advanced tracking is enabled a few hours after liftoff, when Orion has separated from the rocket's upper stage and it is now in the correct orbit. From that moment on, augmented reality tracking accompanies the spacecraft for the rest of the journey.
Alongside AROW, the mobile application offers access to NASA+to the agency's YouTube channel and other multimedia content. In this way, while tracking the capsule's exact location, it's possible to alternate between official broadcasts, press conferences, and clips sent from the spacecraft itself.
Real-time data: what exactly AROW shows
AROW's appeal isn't limited to the 3D map. The platform offers a suite of simplified telemetry readings Designed to help the general public understand how the mission unfolds without requiring advanced technical knowledge. The basic elements shown are always the same, although their values change from second to second.
On one hand, the total mission timeThis counter indicates how many days, hours, and minutes have passed since liftoff. It helps to link the spacecraft's position to the official timeline: it can tell, for example, if the vehicle is still in high Earth orbit, if it has already performed the translunar injection maneuver, or if it is on its way back to the atmosphere.
Another key fact is the Orion's instantaneous speedThis allows us to appreciate how the pace of the journey varies depending on the phase: during the initial boost, as it moves away from Earth, upon entering the Moon's gravitational sphere of influence, or on the return leg. This figure helps to grasp the magnitude of the journey, with values that far exceed those of any conventional flight.
They are also shown continuously distance to Earth and the MoonThese two measurements put into context the exact location of the spacecraft: whether it is leaving the terrestrial environment, whether it has already entered the zone where lunar gravity dominates over that of our planet, or whether it is performing a close flyby of the satellite.
At certain times it is possible to see highlights specific mission milestonessuch as the moment of maximum distance from Earth or the moment of closest approach to the lunar surface. These markers are useful for those who want to follow the calendar day by day, especially in Europe, where key times are usually reported according to peninsular time.
Beyond these basic facts, NASA itself has indicated that AROW is powered by state vectors and orbital ephemerides that accurately describe the spacecraft's position and movement. Although the public viewer displays a simplified version, the agency has chosen to release some of that information so that universities, developers, and enthusiasts can create their own models, simulations, or tracking tools.
Live broadcasts and continuous mission coverage
Real-time tracking of Artemis II is not limited to the AROW map. Since launch, NASA has maintained continuous broadcasts through its YouTube channel and NASA+where you can see images of the Orion spacecraft, the trajectory of the SLS rocket and mission highlights without commentary, except in scheduled briefings.
The broadcast began as the rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center and, according to the agency itself, It will continue as long as bandwidth allows.Occasionally, the signal may be replaced by a blue screen if it is necessary to dedicate all communications capacity to mission-critical operations, or turn black when the spacecraft is in the shadow zone without direct illumination.
This coverage is complemented by permanent updates Regarding the mission status: key maneuvers, systems checks, medical training events, emergency drills, or manual piloting demonstrations. For the European public, many of these phases are announced with times adapted to the Iberian Peninsula, making it easier to plan to follow the lunar flyby or reentry.
Throughout the day-to-day journey, the onboard cameras also show glimpses of the crew's daily life: views of the Earth from pole to pole, auroras, the curvature of the planet, and footage from inside the capsule. This content is more narrative than technical, but it helps to understand the experience. How the mission unfolds from a human perspective.
This combination of AROW, live broadcasts, and technical updates makes following Artemis II a much less passive experience than in previous eras. Instead of being limited to a press release or a few images, The public can follow the mission virtually minute by minute.alternating between different sources depending on the level of detail you want.
A global monitoring system with a European focus
The Artemis II mission relies on an international network of monitoring stations which includes facilities in Spain, the United States, and Australia. These antennas are part of NASA's Deep Space Network and are essential for maintaining communication with the spacecraft and receiving the data that then feeds tools like AROW.
In the European case, facilities located in Spanish territory play a prominent role in this handover system: Each antenna array receives communication from the ship depending on its location in the Earth's rotation, so that there is always a station with direct visibility over the vehicle as it travels through deep space.
NASA has also selected various public and private entities to collaborate in tracking the mission. Among them is the Spanish company Integrasys, which has developed specific technology to track the speed and trajectory of the Orion spacecraft. This participation reinforces the European presence in a program that, according to the US agency itself, would not have been possible without international support.
Open data through state vectors and ephemerides allows that European research centers and universities They can download technical information and develop their own models, animations, or educational tools, as well as collaborate in monitoring incidents in orbit, such as the explosion of a satellite in low orbit.
Meanwhile, European media outlets are adapting their information to their audiences, offering key times in peninsular time, simple explanations of concepts such as the lunar sphere of influence or the overflight of the South Pole, and practical guides for connecting with the official mission website and the NASA app from devices commonly used in Spain.
A new way to experience a trip to the Moon
Artemis II does not simply repeat the feat of the Apollo missions with modern technology: it inaugurates a a different way of experiencing space explorationInstead of waiting for someone in Houston to tell us what happened, anyone can take a look at a map of the Earth-Moon system in a matter of seconds and see exactly what the spacecraft is doing.
With tools like AROW, the official NASA app, and uninterrupted live streams, the journey ceases to be a succession of isolated milestones and becomes a continuous and accessible narrativeFrom a computer at home, a tablet or a mobile phone in their pocket, the public can see how the speed changes, how the distance to the Moon changes or at what point the entry and exit of the far side occurs.
This entire deployment relies on a global network of antennas and the controlled release of technical data, supplemented by European contributions in the fields of communications and trajectory analysis. As a result, tracking Artemis II in real time is accessible to anyone with an internet connection, whether from Spain, another European country, or virtually anywhere in the world.
With a combination of Interactive maps, augmented reality, simplified telemetry, and live videoThe mission becomes a shared journey: the crew travels through deep space aboard Orion, while millions of people can accompany them remotely, knowing at every moment where the capsule is, what phase of the flight plan is being executed and how much is left until the return home.