NASA launched the Artemis II mission from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, sending three American astronauts and one Canadian astronaut on the first crewed lunar voyage since 1972.
The 322-foot Space Launch System rocket experienced last-minute glitches but lifted within its launch window; two solid rocket boosters provided 8.8 million pounds of thrust then separated, leaving the Orion spacecraft and the SLS second stage in Earth orbit. Commander Reid Wiseman, Artemis II mission commander, said, "We have a beautiful moonrise, and we're headed straight at it."
The crew will remain in Earth orbit for system checks before beginning the roughly 250,000-mile trip to the Moon on April 2, with a single lunar loop expected April 6 and a Pacific splashdown on April 10, and NASA says Artemis II will not attempt a landing.
NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface, with Artemis III planned for next year and Artemis IV slated for 2028 as steps toward future crewed landings.
Read the full article at jalopnik.com.
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