Science Friday Planning your photo ops for a trip around the moon
15 snips
May 11, 2026 
Dr. Kelsey Young, Artemis science flight operations lead who planned lunar observations for Artemis II. She explains how teams picked target photo lists and coordinated real-time ops from Earth. Short scenes cover the value of astronauts’ verbal notes, spotting unexpected impact flashes, and building a new science operations role to support lunar research.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Astronauts See Color Cameras Can Miss
- Human eyes can detect color nuances that cameras may not show.
- Kelsey cites Apollo 17's orange soil: the astronaut perceived color that didn't 'pop' in suit-camera photos but led to a key sample collection.
Pick Targets By Objectives And Unique Mission Strengths
- Prioritize targets by mission objectives and the mission's unique capabilities.
- Kelsey used a Lunar Targeting Package with 150+ targets downselected against 10 science objectives to match Artemis II's profile.
Theme Leads Debated Which Lunar Targets To Prioritize
- Team members advocated for different science themes during target selection.
- Theme leads for volcanic history, photometry, color, etc., respectfully 'duke[d] it out' to ensure broad coverage across 10 objectives.