The mission marks a crucial early milestone in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims for long-term human settlement at the Moon’s south pole.
Four astronauts lifted off Wednesday aboard a towering NASA rocket, embarking on a highly anticipated mission around the Moon — the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years.
With a thunderous roar echoing well beyond the launchpad, the massive orange-and-white rocket carried three Americans and one Canadian away from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at around 6:35 p.m. local time.
NASA teams and spectators alike erupted in cheers as the spacecraft lifted off from Earth, marking a milestone years in the making after delays and substantial cost overruns.
“We’re going to the Moon!” shouted one excited onlooker.
During final pre-launch checks, the astronauts shared brief remarks. “We are going for all humanity,” said Canadian crew member Jeremy Hansen.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, spoke directly to the astronauts:
“Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy: On this historic mission, you carry with you the heart of the Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people and our global partners, and the hopes and dreams of a new generation. Good luck. Godspeed, Artemis 2. Let’s go,” she said.
The weather wasn’t perfect, but close, with a 90% chance of conditions suitable for launch.
The crew, dressed in bright orange suits with blue trim, consists of Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen.
Their first tasks include performing extensive checks to ensure the spacecraft’s reliability and safety — a critical step since it has never carried humans before. Afterward, they will embark on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon without landing.
The crew will also test the spacecraft’s manual piloting systems during docking simulations.
Repeated Setbacks
The mission represents a series of historic firsts: it will carry the first person of color, the first woman, and the first non-American on a lunar journey.
If all goes according to plan, the astronauts will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history.
It also marks the first crewed flight of Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s new lunar rocket designed to enable repeated Moon missions and support a permanent base that could serve as a platform for further exploration.
Originally slated for launch as early as February, the mission faced repeated delays, including rolling the rocket back to its hangar for analysis and repairs.
Local authorities expected some 400,000 spectators to gather near Florida’s Space Coast to witness the historic launch.
Beyond the Stars
The Artemis program has been under pressure from former President Donald Trump, who accelerated the program with the goal of landing humans on the Moon before the end of his second term in early 2029.
Artemis 2 aims to verify both the rocket and spacecraft systems, paving the way for a Moon landing targeted for 2028. The ambitious timeline has raised questions, in part because it relies on private-sector technology advancements.
The current U.S. lunar effort is often seen as part of a space race with China, which plans to send humans to the Moon by 2030.
While Trump was scheduled to address the nation Wednesday evening — his first speech since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 triggered a regional conflict and global energy crisis — he posted a message online ahead of the launch:
“We are WINNING, in Space, on Earth, and everywhere in between — Economically, Militarily, and now, BEYOND THE STARS. Nobody comes close! America doesn’t just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole World is watching,” he wrote on Truth Social.
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