Artemis II lifts off: four astronauts begin 10-day lunar mission
6 hours ago
- #NASA
- #Space Exploration
- #Moon Mission
- NASA successfully launched the Artemis II mission, a historic crewed test flight to the moon without landing.
- The mission includes four astronauts: the first woman and first person of color to travel into cislunar space, flying farther from Earth than any humans before.
- An estimated 400,000 spectators gathered along Florida's space coast, with cities like Titusville experiencing significant crowds reminiscent of the Apollo era.
- NASA officials, including Administrator Jared Isaacman, emphasized that Artemis II is a critical test for the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System.
- After launch, the Orion capsule entered Earth orbit, with successful deployment of solar arrays and separation of rocket boosters, en route to a translunar injection burn on flight day two.