Four astronauts launched aboard NASA's most powerful rocket Wednesday evening, beginning humanity's first crewed journey to the moon in more than five decades. The Artemis II mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT, sending Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day voyage around the moon.
The massive Space Launch System rocket, standing 322 feet tall, generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust as it carried the Orion crew capsule into Earth orbit. Approximately 400,000 spectators gathered along Florida's Space Coast to witness the thunderous departure, which marks the first crewed flight of NASA's new deep-space exploration system.
We have a beautiful moonrise. We're headed right at it
Reid Wiseman, Mission Commander — RFI English
The crew will spend their first two days in Earth orbit conducting critical systems tests before departing for lunar space. Their most challenging task involves manually piloting Orion during docking simulations, preparing for scenarios where autonomous systems might fail. The astronauts will then embark on a figure-eight trajectory around the moon, traveling farther from Earth than any humans before them.
At its most distant point, the mission will reach approximately 402,000 kilometers from Earth, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The crew will approach within 6,513 kilometers of the lunar surface, offering unprecedented views of regions never seen by human eyes due to lighting conditions during the Apollo era.
NASA frames Artemis II as a defining moment for the nation, emphasizing its role in returning humanity to the moon and establishing a foundation for future Mars missions. The agency highlights the mission's test objectives and its contribution to sustained lunar presence.
New Scientist provides technical coverage focusing on the mission's scientific and engineering aspects, including the record-breaking distance and testing procedures. The outlet emphasizes the experimental nature of the flight and its role in validating systems for future missions.
German coverage emphasizes the technical achievements and engineering milestones, detailing the rocket's performance and orbital mechanics. Scinexx frames the mission as a successful validation of NASA's new deep-space exploration capabilities after years of delays.
This is Jeremy, we are going for all humanity
Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Astronaut — RFI English
The mission faced early technical challenges, including a brief communication blackout during launch and unspecified issues with onboard systems. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed that contact was quickly reestablished and the mission continues as planned. These setbacks highlight the experimental nature of the flight, which serves as a comprehensive test of systems that will eventually carry astronauts to the lunar surface.
Artemis II represents a crucial stepping stone toward NASA's goal of landing astronauts on the moon's south pole by 2028, competing directly with China's planned crewed lunar mission for 2030. The mission also carries historic significance as the first to include a person of color, a woman, and a non-American on a lunar voyage.
Artemis II is the start of something bigger than any one mission. It marks our return to the Moon, not just to visit, but to eventually stay on our Moon Base, and lays the foundation for the next giant leaps ahead
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator — NASA News
The successful launch validates years of development work on the Space Launch System, designed to enable repeated lunar missions and eventual Mars exploration. Unlike the Apollo program's brief lunar visits, Artemis aims to establish a permanent human presence on the moon, serving as a testing ground for technologies needed for interplanetary travel.
Mission planners have already adjusted the timeline for subsequent flights. Artemis III, originally planned as a lunar landing mission for 2027, will now remain in Earth orbit to test docking systems with lunar landers. The actual moon landing has been pushed to Artemis IV in 2028, reflecting the complex engineering challenges of returning humans to the lunar surface after a 56-year absence.