Four astronauts launched aboard NASA's Artemis II for a 10-day voyage around the moon and back. This mission marks the first human trip to the moon since 1972 and tests key systems for planned lunar landings in 2028.
The crew includes commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They experienced up to four times Earth's gravity during ascent, accelerating to 10,000 mph.
The 322-foot tall Space Launch System rocket generates over 8.8 million pounds of thrust. During launch, the rocket burned through 730,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen, consuming fuel at 1,500 gallons per second.
The Orion capsule performed a gravitational slingshot around Earth before initiating trans-lunar injection to reach lunar orbit approximately 245,000 miles away. Reentry speeds will reach 25,000 mph, making these astronauts the fastest humans in history.
Approximately 400,000 people watched from Florida's Space Coast, with tens of millions viewing online. The mission sets the foundation for a permanent lunar base and future Mars exploration.