'I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one is working': Artemis II astronauts have the most relatable complaint

Date:
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:38:30 +0000

Description:
Artemis II crew reports Outlook software bug on one of the Orion capsule's PCDs (personal computer devices).

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
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your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Artemis II crew reports a Microsoft software glitch One astronaut to Mission Control that neither of their Outlooks was working There's no evidence the issue impacted the mission in any meaningful way Artemis Mission Control, we have a problem and it's one most every Microsoft customer can relate to.
Just hours after Artemis II's spectacular launch, kicking off NASA's first moon mission in more than 50 years, the astronauts reported a Microsoft 365 tech glitch.

As the four crew members flew at 4,275mph and more than 30,000 miles from Earth, they remained in almost constant contact with NASA Mission Control. During one conversation, a mission astronaut offered this report: "I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one is working." First, you can be forgiven if you're surprised that the Orion spacecraft (which was carried to space by the Artemis II mission) uses Microsoft 365 software. However, NASA has been standardized on Microsoft's suite of software and services for years, using the platform across productivity, collaboration, and, yes, communication. The agency even uses Copilot , though it's not clear if the AI has had any part
in this mission. Article continues below You may like Smartphones in space the Artemis II crew are throwing an iPhone around in zero gravity Microsoft 365 and Outlook were down for many here's what went wrong Windows 11's new year goes from bad to worse as two bugs are crashing apps Yes... In case anyone was wondering, Microsoft still sucks in space. pic.twitter.com/vf5b0lQgc7 April 2, 2026 Things are happening in a most peculiar way Back to the non-life-threatening situation on the spacecraft

The astronaut asks if NASA wants to "remote in and check Optimus and those
two Outlooks, that would be awesome."

Mission Control clocks the issue and responds, "We will join in on your PCD and let you know when we're done."

The "Optimus" reference, by the way, was referring to a separate issue. The astronaut brought up the two Outlooks as another tech glitch to check while they're in there. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

A PCD is a "Personal Computing Device," which we're guessing to be a Windows laptop or Surface computer (we guess they're using those alongside their iPhones ), and, yes, just like tech support at home, the tech uses remote access to address the problem.

As for why there might be "two Microsoft Outlooks" on one device, you can blame Microsoft. A couple of years ago , Microsoft unveiled the Outlook for Windows app, essentially a renaming of the original Windows Mail app. Once installed, that app becomes just "Outlook." But Microsoft 365 customers know there's already an "Outlook" in the 365 Office suite. So, yes, a Windows system could have "two Microsoft Outlooks."

Why neither was working on one of Artemis II's mission computers is unclear, although neither Mission Control nor the astronaut sounded particularly concerned. After all, NASA uses Outlook for some communications between it
and the astronauts, but not all communications, as evidenced by the audio. What to read next Windows 11 update breaks Edge here's what to do if you're affected Microsoft hands 'Microslop' pushers more ammo with new Copilot AI blunders Major Microsoft 365 outage left users without access to emails and files - here's what we know

The exchange was captured in the wee hours of the morning on April 2 (and witnessed by tens of thousands because NASA is livestreaming the entire mission on YouTube ), still quite early in the flight, which launched roughly eight hours earlier from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

By now, we assume the systems have been rebooted, and that both Outlooks are working nominally. Of course, we're sure the Artemis II crew is just as anxious as you are to have just one Outlook and one that's working for the duration of this historic mission.

We did reach out to Microsoft for comment and will update this post with their response. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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