Even without astronauts onboard, Alexa will still be testing its ability to assist people through virtual crew experiences conducted between Johnson Space Center and the Orion spacecraft in near real-time. Perhaps someday, for busy astronauts on their way to the moon, Alexa will be able to access telemetry data from Orion and answer questions like “How fast is Orion traveling?” or “What’s the temperature in the cabin?” Yet despite all the potential benefits of having Alexa on board, the team behind Callisto say it’s just as important to prepare for the system’s failure as for its success. That way, even if Alexa or Callisto fails, the mission itself is not in jeopardy or facing a 2001-like crisis. After several failed wet dress rehearsals, Artemis 1 is expected to make a fourth rehearsal attempt this June with an estimated launch no earlier than August, according to NASA officials on a recent press call. With any luck, Alexa will make its space debut by the end of the year. Follow NASA updates on Artemis on its blog, here.
