05.07.2026
CAMRIS Supports the Naval Health Research Center’s Pivotal Role in Historic Artemis II Mission
CAMRIS is honored and proud to have supported the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) as it contributed critical laboratory capabilities to NASA’s historic Artemis II mission and the AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation. As Artemis II advanced our nation’s next era of human space exploration, CAMRIS personnel worked behind the scenes to help ensure NHRC’s laboratories and supporting infrastructure were ready to receive, process, and analyze this highly specialized payload—enabling research that will help protect the health and performance of future astronauts.
Artemis II represents a critical step in NASA’s broader Artemis campaign, which is designed to return humans to the Moon and ultimately prepare for human missions to Mars. By helping ensure that NHRC’s laboratories were prepared to accommodate the AVATAR investigation, CAMRIS contributed to foundational research needed to safeguard human health in deep space and inform the future of long‑duration spaceflight.
Read NHRC’s full article on its role in the Artemis II AVATAR investigation here.
As part of our work with NHRC’s Operational Infectious Diseases (OID) Directorate, CAMRIS provided focused logistical and laboratory expertise that enabled NHRC to rapidly receive and accommodate the AVATAR samples following splashdown and recovery of the Orion spacecraft. This assistance helped ensure that NHRC could efficiently and reliably initiate sample handling and analysis, preserving the scientific integrity of the AVATAR investigation and maximizing the value of this rare research opportunity.
CAMRIS personnel concentrated on preparing laboratory spaces, coordinating the availability of equipment, and advancing NHRC’s lab readiness activities in advance of the mission.
CAMRIS is especially proud to recognize Senior Laboratory Manager Anne Fraser, whose expertise and meticulous preparation were instrumental to NHRC’s readiness for this mission‑critical work. Working closely with NHRC leadership, staff, and partner personnel, Ms. Fraser helped coordinate laboratory readiness tasks, confirm facility and equipment availability, and help ensure the smooth execution of NHRC’s laboratory role in this landmark human spaceflight effort.
CAMRIS President Rodney R. Sweetland, III, reflected on the occasion:
“It is a privilege for CAMRIS to support the Naval Health Research Center as it contributes to missions as momentous as Artemis II. Our team’s efforts, led in the laboratory by Anne Fraser, reflect CAMRIS’s commitment to excellence in service to our government partners. We are proud to play a supporting role that enables organizations like NHRC to conduct cutting‑edge research in support of our nation’s most critical missions.”
CAMRIS’s collaboration with NHRC on Artemis II underscores our longstanding commitment to advancing U.S. government science, national security, and research priorities, and to providing responsive, high‑quality operational and laboratory support. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to NHRC’s success on this once‑in‑a‑generation mission and remain dedicated to partnering with our government and research customers as they pursue the next generation of discoveries in space and beyond.