I Am Artemis: Erik Richards

What’s Happening

So basically Listen to this audio excerpt from Erik Richards, Near Space Network Mission Manager: For Erik Richards, supportingNASA’sfirst crewed Artemismissionto the Moon and backis the culmination of a career spent helping spacecraft communicatewith Earth.

Like many kids who grew up at the height of the Space ShuttleProgram, Richards dreamed of spaceflight— adreamthatat some pointtook himfromtheremoteMcMurdo 3 Min Read I Am Artemis: Erik Richards Erik Richards, mission manager for NASA’s Near Space Network, stands in front of the large antennas at the White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. Credits: NASA Korine Powers Lead Writer and Communications Strategist Mar 27, 2026 Article Listen to this audio excerpt from Erik Richards, Near Space Network Mission Manager: 0:00 / 0:00 Your browser does not support the audio element. (let that sink in)

For Erik Richards, supporting NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission to the Moon and back is the culmination of a career spent helping spacecraft communicate with Earth.

The Details

Like many kids who grew up at the height of the Space Shuttle Program, Richards dreamed of spaceflight — a dream that at some point took him from the remote McMurdo Station in Antarctica to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. I’ve spent my entire career moving across NASA’s network.

At its core, its an organization of people and interactions. I always say it’s not what you know, but who you know that makes the network go.

Why This Matters

There are so many opportunities to learn. Erik Richards NASA Near Space Network Mission Manager Most just, his work has taken him to the agency’s White Sands Complex in New Mexico — and into a key role in America’s return to the Moon. As mission manager for NASA’s Near Space Network, Richards ensures the Artemis II crew and Orion spacecraft can communicate with Earth during liftoff and early orbit, through re-entry and splashdown.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

Key Takeaways

• Erik Richards at the White Sands Complex.
• The largest White Sands antennas are 18 meters (59 feet) in diameter.

The Bottom Line

The Near Space Network consists of an interconnected web of relay satellites and more than 40 government and commercial ground stations stretching from Bermuda to South Africa. Together with NASA’s Deep Space Network, this global infrastructure is critical to keeping the Orion spacecraft and its four astronauts connected to mission control throughout their roughly 10-day mission.

What do you think about all this?