Brazilian Technology Helps NASA Monitor Astronauts on Artemis II Mission

Graphic illustrating Brazil’s contribution to the Artemis mission — source: globo.com

A technology created in Brazil played a crucial role in monitoring the health of astronauts during NASA’s Artemis II mission. The device, developed at the University of São Paulo (USP), tracks essential biological patterns and marks an important milestone in Brazil’s contribution to global space science.

In footage released by NASA, the astronauts can be seen wearing what looks like a simple wristwatch — but it’s far more advanced. The device, called an actigraph, was developed under the leadership of Professor Mário Pedrazzoli, an internationally recognized expert in chronobiology and sleep research.

Throughout the mission, the actigraph recorded sleep patterns, activity levels, body movement, light intensity, and even the spectral composition of light. One of its standout features is the ability to measure blue light, which plays a key role in regulating the sleep‑wake cycle. This is especially critical in space, where astronauts lose the natural reference of day and night.

Brazil’s participation in Artemis II is historic. The country is the only Latin American nation to sign the Artemis Accords and took part in humanity’s first steps back toward the Moon in more than 50 years.

And the collaboration is just beginning. Brazil is also set to participate in Artemis III, scheduled for 2028, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface. The mission is expected to carry a Brazilian nanosatellite — about the size of a shoebox — developed by the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA). The satellite will conduct experiments in lunar orbit, measuring radiation, dust, and environmental conditions.

The project places Brazil among the nations contributing cutting‑edge technology to lunar science and deep‑space exploration.