Select grid icon above right for expanded view. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen were announced Monday, April 3 as the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artem

Select grid icon above right for expanded view.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen were announced Monday, April 3 as the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2023e016432_alt2)

At 12:40 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon. Orion will be recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, U.S. Navy and Department of Def

At 12:40 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon. Orion will be recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, U.S. Navy and Department of Defense partners aboard the USS Portland.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (KSC-20221211-PH-JNV01-0003

NASA astronauts piloting T-38 jets soar in formation above the Artemis I rocket on Launch Pad 39B as it awaits launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e066538_alt)

NASA astronauts piloting T-38 jets soar in formation above the Artemis I rocket on Launch Pad 39B as it awaits launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e066538_alt)

NASA Astronaut Bob “Farmer” Hines served as mission pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e000177_alt)

NASA Astronaut Bob “Farmer” Hines served as mission pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e000177_alt)

Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen is suspended over a mock-up of the International Space Station during a microgravity simulation. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2017e127993)

Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen is suspended over a mock-up of the International Space Station during a microgravity simulation.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2017e127993)

NASA astronaut candidate Jasmin Moghbeli gets an assist from veteran astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson while preparing for a spacewalk training session at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e096672)

NASA astronaut candidate Jasmin Moghbeli gets an assist from veteran astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson while preparing for a spacewalk training session at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e096672)

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara brings a fresh perspective to portrait photography with a hair flip that seems to defy gravity at the NASA Johnson Space Center photo studio. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e041196_alt)

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara brings a fresh perspective to portrait photography with a hair flip that seems to defy gravity at the NASA Johnson Space Center photo studio.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e041196_alt)

Personnel working on a mockup of the Orion spacecraft during crew egress testing in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2017e095662)

Personnel working on a mockup of the Orion spacecraft during crew egress testing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2017e095662)

Ryan Gosling tours NASA’s Johnson Space Center as part of the filmmakers’ extensive research prior to the filming of First Man. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Ryan Gosling tours NASA’s Johnson Space Center as part of the filmmakers’ extensive research prior to the filming of First Man.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Geology training during a simulated moonwalk at the NASA Johnson Space Center Rock Yard. NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e031851)

Geology training during a simulated moonwalk at the NASA Johnson Space Center Rock Yard.

NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e031851)

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, clad in a mockup spacesuit, navigates a lunar-like landscape during simulated moonwalks in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Northern Arizona. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e036527)

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, clad in a mockup spacesuit, navigates a lunar-like landscape during simulated moonwalks in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, Northern Arizona.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e036527)

NASA Research Pilot Adam Klein, pictured here wearing a WB-57 high altitude pressure suit, has flown upwards of 63,000 feet, high enough to see the sky darken and the curvature of the Earth come into view. This suit protects aircrew while operating

NASA Research Pilot Adam Klein, pictured here wearing a WB-57 high altitude pressure suit, has flown upwards of 63,000 feet, high enough to see the sky darken and the curvature of the Earth come into view. This suit protects aircrew while operating in the harsh “space equivalent zone” where loss of cabin pressure would be fatal.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e083553_alt)

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas raises an American flag as NASA astronaut Kate Rubins looks on during their first simulated moonwalk in a week-long field test consisting of four simulated moonwalks and six advanced technology runs in the San Francisco

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas raises an American flag as NASA astronaut Kate Rubins looks on during their first simulated moonwalk in a week-long field test consisting of four simulated moonwalks and six advanced technology runs in the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona on May 13, 2024.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e033759)

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas uses a hammer and chisel to break off a small sample during a nighttime simulated moonwalk in the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona on May 16, 2024. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e035652)

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas uses a hammer and chisel to break off a small sample during a nighttime simulated moonwalk in the San Francisco Volcanic Field in Northern Arizona on May 16, 2024.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e035652)

U.S. Navy Divers practice with NASA's Orion Spacecraft Crew Module Uprighting System at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. In the event of an upside down or turnover landing, the bags will inflate to turn Orion right side up. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc

U.S. Navy Divers practice with NASA's Orion Spacecraft Crew Module Uprighting System at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. In the event of an upside down or turnover landing, the bags will inflate to turn Orion right side up.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2017e088124)

Mastering the art of space robotics, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara practices flying the Canadarm from the mock-up cupola in the Systems Engineering Simulator at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, providing a glimpse into the intense training and preparation

Mastering the art of space robotics, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara practices flying the Canadarm from the mock-up cupola in the Systems Engineering Simulator at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, providing a glimpse into the intense training and preparation for missions aboard the International Space Station.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e078437_alt)

NASA T-38s fly in formation above Kennedy Space Center on the way to photograph Artemis I on the launchpad on August 23, 2022. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e066547)

NASA T-38s fly in formation above Kennedy Space Center on the way to photograph Artemis I on the launchpad on August 23, 2022.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e066547)

Navy pilot and NASA astronaut candidate Jack “Radio” Hathaway pilots a NASA T-38 jet during a mission to photograph Artemis I on the launchpad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e066548)

Navy pilot and NASA astronaut candidate Jack “Radio” Hathaway pilots a NASA T-38 jet during a mission to photograph Artemis I on the launchpad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e066548)

NASA Astronaut Nick Hague. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e038155_alt)

NASA Astronaut Nick Hague.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e038155_alt)

ESA Astronaut Luca Parmitano. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e026605_alt)

ESA Astronaut Luca Parmitano.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e026605_alt)

NASA Astronaut Drew Morgan. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e026768_alt)

NASA Astronaut Drew Morgan.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e026768_alt)

Astronaut Kate Rubins, a molecular biologist and veteran of two spacewalks, became the first person to sequence DNA in space in 2016. Even before NASA, Rubins was no stranger to space suits – she wore a protective suit for years as a virologist stud

Astronaut Kate Rubins, a molecular biologist and veteran of two spacewalks, became the first person to sequence DNA in space in 2016. Even before NASA, Rubins was no stranger to space suits – she wore a protective suit for years as a virologist studying smallpox in a biosafety lab.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e066439_alt)

NASA Astronaut Victor Glover epitomizes high-speed excellence. As a Naval Aviator, he was a test pilot for the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler. In 2020, he piloted the first operational SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the ISS, becoming

NASA Astronaut Victor Glover epitomizes high-speed excellence. As a Naval Aviator, he was a test pilot for the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler. In 2020, he piloted the first operational SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the ISS, becoming the first African American to undertake a long-duration mission on the station.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2021e059485_alt)

NASA Astronaut Tom Marshburn launched on the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station in 2021. This was Marshburn’s third spaceflight, having previously flown on the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the Soyuz spacecraft. Photo: NASA/Jos

NASA Astronaut Tom Marshburn launched on the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station in 2021. This was Marshburn’s third spaceflight, having previously flown on the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the Soyuz spacecraft.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2021e031000_alt)

The real Silver Surfer: NASA astronaut, Navy SEAL, and veteran space walker Chris Cassidy. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2020e002560_alt2)

The real Silver Surfer: NASA astronaut, Navy SEAL, and veteran space walker Chris Cassidy.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2020e002560_alt2)

NASA Astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps Colonel, test pilot, and SpaceX Crew-5 Mission Commander Nicole Mann. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e042641_alt)

NASA Astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps Colonel, test pilot, and SpaceX Crew-5 Mission Commander Nicole Mann.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2022e042641_alt)

NASA Flight Engineer Mallory Yates flys in the rear cockpit of the WB-57 high altitude research aircraft, where she manages and operates its complex systems and equipment. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e083557_alt)

NASA Flight Engineer Mallory Yates flys in the rear cockpit of the WB-57 high altitude research aircraft, where she manages and operates its complex systems and equipment.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2018e083557_alt)

NASA astronaut and Navy Submarine Warfare Officer Kayla Barron. Prior to NASA, Barron was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2020e049793_alt)

NASA astronaut and Navy Submarine Warfare Officer Kayla Barron. Prior to NASA, Barron was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2020e049793_alt)

Suited up and laser-focused, NASA Astronaut Christina Koch prepares for Artemis II Orion Water Survival training at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e009651)

Suited up and laser-focused, NASA Astronaut Christina Koch prepares for Artemis II Orion Water Survival training at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2024e009651)

Veteran NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore in his “Boeing Blue” spacesuit. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2020e053044_alt)

Veteran NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore in his “Boeing Blue” spacesuit.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2020e053044_alt)

Gene Kranz, the Legendary Flight Director who played a pivotal role in NASA's journey to the Moon, stands in the restored Apollo Mission Control viewing room. Every detail, from the coat hangers to the wall-sized screens, faithfully reflects the 196

Gene Kranz, the Legendary Flight Director who played a pivotal role in NASA's journey to the Moon, stands in the restored Apollo Mission Control viewing room. Every detail, from the coat hangers to the wall-sized screens, faithfully reflects the 1969 era. In this moving moment, he looks down at the vintage flight consoles, listening to a recording of the flight communications from the historic first moon landing.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (jsc2023e053157_alt)

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen were announced Monday, April 3 as the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen were announced Monday, April 3 as the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II.

Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Focus on the Mission: Documenting NASA’s Artemis Era

"Focus on the Mission" takes you behind the scenes with Josh, a NASA photographer, as he documents key moments of the Artemis program. From jets soaring over rockets to the Orion capsule's ocean return, Josh combines art with science to capture NASA's incredible journey back to the Moon. This talk highlights how his images contribute to the story of human achievement in space, inviting the audience to appreciate the power of photography in celebrating discovery and inspiring future generations. Josh has been a professional photographer and videographer for 18 years and has served as a Scientific Photographer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center since 2017. From engineering tests to astronaut training to mission control operations, Josh documents subjects and events of importance to NASA’s human space flight effort. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Feeling Like an Astronaut

Ever wondered what it’s like to fly backseat in a NASA T-38? NASA photographer Josh Valcarcel takes you behind-the-scenes to show his perspective riding with NASA astronauts to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to check out Artemis I on the launch pad.

First Flight in a NASA T-38

My first flight in the backseat of a NASA T-38 left me speechless, so here's a video.

Music: Astronaut, by Vincent Tone