NASA sends an iPad to the Moon to test Alexa in space

NASA plans to launch the huge Artemis 1 lunar rocket soon. As part of the Artemis 1 mission, the first launch of NASA's new monstrous launch vehicle SLS (Space Launch System) is planned, which will send the Orion spacecraft on an unmanned flight around the moon and back. The launch is scheduled for August 29, 2022.

The mission will also conduct an experiment called Callisto, which will demonstrate how consumer technology can integrate with spacecraft in the future. The experiment involves Amazon Alexa and WebEx from Cisco. The goal is to demonstrate how voice commands can improve the lives and work of astronauts in space.

For this purpose, an iPad will be located on the center console of the Orion, on which Cisco's Webex video conferencing software will be tested to stream content from Mission Control in Johnson. The Alexa voice assistant will also be tested.

Following a successful Artemis 1 mission, NASA plans to start crewed missions with Artemis 2 in 2024. In 2025, the space agency intends to send the first woman and person of color to the moon's surface.