From Vienna to the Moon: NASA Astronaut Stephen Bowen Promotes U.S.-Austrian Space Cooperation
Space is moving a little closer to the Austrian capital. Experienced NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen visited Vienna to honor the scientific cooperation between the U.S. and Austria and to get everyone in the mood for the upcoming historic Artemis II moon mission.
For Austrian researchers and industry representatives, Bowen's visit sent a strong signal: the road to Mars also leads through Vienna and Graz. / Picture: © American and Austrian crossed flags by Vindobona
Stephen Bowen, a legend of US space travel with a total of 227 days in space and ten spacewalks, met with leading figures from the Austrian space industry and research community at the “Freedom250 Reception.” Bowen, who was the first submarine officer to join the astronaut corps, shared his experiences during a presentation at TU Wien, among other events.
Howard Solomon, Chargé d'Affaires of the U.S. Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna, emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership at the reception entitled “American Leadership in Space.” Austria plays a key role in the development of technologies for planetary missions through institutions such as Joanneum Research and various universities.
2026: A fateful year for the moon landing
The talks focused on the roadmap for the coming years. “2026 will be a year of several important milestones for US space exploration,” Bowen emphasized. Particular attention is being paid to the launch of Artemis II, planned for March 2026.
This mission marks a historic turning point: for the first time in over 50 years, humans – a crew of four – will orbit the moon again. It is the decisive test run for a permanent presence on Earth's satellite and serves as a springboard for future manned missions to Mars.
Austria as a key partner
The fact that Bowen chose Vienna for his talks underscores Austria's importance in the global space sector. The Alpine republic is no longer an unknown quantity in planetary research. Particular emphasis was placed on the cooperation between the Styrian research company Joanneum Research and NASA.
The experts from Graz supply high-precision 3D image processing technologies that are used, among other things, in the Mars rovers “Curiosity” and “Perseverance” to analyze the surface of Mars millimeter by millimeter. The Vienna University of Technology and other Austrian universities are also contributing to pushing the boundaries of knowledge with cutting-edge research.
“Freedom250” and the future of diplomacy
The visit took place as part of the Freedom250 initiative, which emphasizes US leadership in space and the importance of international partnerships. Howard Solomon, described the current era as a “golden age of innovation” in which cooperation with private companies and international partners such as Austria is essential.
Become part of the mission
NASA offers a special program for space enthusiasts: interested parties can register online as “virtual guests” to receive exclusive updates on the launch of Artemis II or organize their own “watch parties.”