Email in space? Artemis II crew reports Outlook malfunction mid-mission
Follow UsArtemis II launched after delays, but astronauts faced a Microsoft Outlook glitch shortly after liftoff.
The issue affected onboard email access, though engineers fixed it remotely while the spacecraft was still near Earth.
Despite minor technical problems, including a toilet fan issue, the mission is continuing smoothly.
NASA launched Artemis II on April 1 after delays to its original schedule. However, new concerns have emerged even after liftoff. A recent report says Microsoft Outlook stopped working on the crew’s onboard computers. The issue appeared while the spacecraft was still near Earth rather than in deep space, allowing engineers to respond quickly. The Orion spacecraft is currently taking astronauts on a 10-day mission around the Moon. The mission is a test of critical systems for future missions. There has been a communication issue that was not expected. However, the mission is going on well. Here is the information we have so far. More updates are expected as the investigation continues.
SurveyArtemis II commander Reid Wiseman reported that Microsoft Outlook was not working on the crew’s onboard computers a few hours after liftoff. The issue affected their ability to access email, an important communication support tool during missions. Wiseman informed mission control in Houston that two versions of Outlook appeared on the system, but neither was functioning properly. He requested ground teams to remotely access the device and investigate the problem.
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According to reports, the personal computing device used by the crew is believed to be a Microsoft Surface Pro. Engineers on Earth quickly stepped in and remotely accessed the system to fix the glitch. After some time, they were able to restore access. However, the application continued to show an offline status, which mission control clarified was expected in that environment.
The news regarding the communication error was shared by an X account named Latest in Space. The post also had the audio exchange between the ground team and the astronauts.
#NEWS 🚨: Artemis II crew experienced issues with Outlook this morning and had to ask ground crew for assistance
— Latest in space (@latestinspace) April 2, 2026
"We have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one is working" pic.twitter.com/8OH4szjsXp
The Outlook challenge isn’t the only one faced by the crew out in the space. In the past, a toilet fan on the spacecraft had stopped working shortly after takeoff. However, the team on the ground quickly assisted the astronauts in troubleshooting the issue. As a result of that, the fan is up and working again.
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The makers already have foresight for such issues, and alternatives were already provided. Hence, the astronauts used the other backup waste management options available during the repair period.
