Goal: Take an image of the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II mission; which is the first crewed mission around the moon since Apollo.
Python Script: Download (Version 1.3 - 02 April 2026, includes initial real trajectory - update with new ephemeris as it is available.)
Mission Trajectory Data: LATEST EPHEMERIS (NASA will post UPDATES to the trajectory file at the bottom of this article )
Project Introduction and details: Video on YouTube
Mission Updates: NASA's Blog and information about the Artemis program overall.
Links to other required software:
Success; a few people have reached out with some great imagery they were able to capture of Orion!
Update 11-Apr-2026 10:15am CDT]: Mission success! Splashdown 10-April-2026 at 7:07pm CDT. Here are a few sources of great photos: JSC, KSC, HQ, images.nasa.gov. Thank you all for helping capture Orion during it's mission; I was surprised just how far away it was able to have been imaged from! I really appreciate everyone who shared their results with me since it was very cloudy for me.
Update 10-Apr-2026 9:45pm CDT]: Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_10_Post-ICPS-Sep-to-EI.asc
Update 9-Apr-2026 5:30pm CDT]: (Second updated of the day - as Orion approaches Earth) Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_09_Post-ICPS-Sep-to-EI_2.asc
Update 9-Apr-2026 9:45am CDT]: Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_09_Post-ICPS-Sep_to_EI.asc
Update 8-Apr-2026 9:40am CDT]: Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_08_Post-ICPS-Sep_to_EI.asc
Update 7-Apr-2026 10:45am CDT]: Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_07_Post-ICPS-Sep_to_EI.asc
Update 6-Apr-2026 1:40pm CDT]: Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_06_Pre_OTC3_to_EI.asc
Update 4-Apr-2026 5:40pm CDT]: Updated the Orion ephemeris file to Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_04_to_EI.asc
Update 3-Apr-2026 11:00pm CDT]: Added some amazing results from Giles and George. Also Rainer let me know there is some issues with the Stellarium script running on Linux (with at least Stellarium v0.24) and he provided a patch that I will work into a future version (Artemis III?). Anyone running into this issues on Linux just send me an e-mail and I will share that with you; Thanks Rainer!
Update 3-Apr-2026 [9:25am CDT]: Updated file lined above to "Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_03_to_EI.asc" which is the latest data available at the current time. Everyone should update to this file, re-run the script, and update all needed files for Stellarium and Celestia. If anyone has gotten a good photo and you don't mind sharing, please send it to me as I would love to see it since all I have seen are clouds :)
Update 2-Apr-2026 [3:00pm CDT]: Updated file lined above to "Artemis_II_OEM_2026_04_02_to_EI_v3.asc" which is the latest data available at the current time. Everyone should update to this file, re-run the script, and update all needed files for Stellarium and Celestia.
Update 2-Apr-2026 [11:10am CDT]: NASA will be updating the trajectory (ephemeris) file as it was incorrectly formatted originally. I have also updated both the ephemeris file as well as the script on this page. Incremented the script to V1.3 -- all that changed is the test data was swapped for the real initial data for the mission (to make it easier for new setups).
Update 2-Apr-2026 [08:15am CDT]: Finally the ephemeris file was released! However, the original file had some html tags at the start and finish, so I removed those so the script still works. So use the one I have posted above -- which I have tested and confirmed works with the script.
Update 1-Apr-2026 [11:50pm CDT]: Still no ephemeris file yet; but still monitoring to get it out as soon as it is.
Update 1-Apr-2026 [9:50pm CDT]: The proximity operations demonstration is going on now; hopefully after that is completed the ephemeris file will be released.
Update 1-Apr-2026 [6:30pm CDT]: Launch! Artemis II launched at 22:35:12 UTC (6:35:12 EDT)! Waiting on the ephemeris file to be generated now.
Update 31-Mar-2026 [9pm CDT]: The first launch attempt is looking good starting on 1-April-2026 at 6:24pm EDT (two hour launch window). Weather at the Cape is 80% chance of go for launch. I will post the ephemeris data as soon as it is released (which is hopefully within a few hours after launch).
Update 29-Mar-2026 [8pm CDT]: Added link to NASA's page where trajectory data will be posted. Currently the next launch attempt will start on 1-April-2026 at 6:24pm EDT (two hour launch window).