Integrity (Orion callsign)
Crew-chosen callsign for the Artemis II Orion capsule.
Last refreshed: 3 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did the Artemis II crew name their capsule Integrity?
Timeline for Integrity (Orion callsign)
Mentioned in: Four Astronauts Leave Earth for the Moon
Artemis II Moon Mission- What is the Artemis II spacecraft called?
- The crew named their Orion capsule Integrity.Source: Lowdown briefing coverage
- Why did the astronauts name their capsule Integrity?
- Crew-chosen callsigns are a NASA tradition dating to the Mercury programme. The crew picks a name that reflects their mission ethos.Source: NASA mission records
Background
The Artemis II crew christened their Orion capsule Integrity before the April 2026 lunar flyby, continuing a tradition that dates to the Mercury programme. The crew announced the name during pre-flight activities at Kennedy Space Center.
NASA spacecraft callsigns serve as radio identifiers between the crew and Mission Control. Apollo 11's Lunar Module was Eagle; Apollo 13's was Aquarius. The name does not appear in official NASA mission designations, where the vehicle is formally Orion Artemis II. Crew-chosen names typically reflect a theme the astronauts feel represents their mission.
The choice carries symbolic weight at a moment when the programme faces scrutiny over a $4 billion per-flight cost, cancelled Gateway infrastructure, and an unrepaired heat shield. Whether the name ages well depends on the mission's outcome.