— Artemis II is just the beginning. This is a test mission and familiarization with the rocket. We want to see if it works well for humans and then we'll send them further into space. This will be the beginning for future missions. We are in a golden age for science, said the head of NASA in a conversation with journalists before the launch of the mission.
This is the historic return of humans to lunar orbit after a break of more than half a century. The last such flight took place in 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission. Since then, all lunar missions have been unmanned, and Artemis II opens a new chapter in space exploration.
Footage from the moment the rocket was launched appeared on the Internet.
Artemis II crew. Christina Koch will be the first woman to reach lunar orbit
The Artemis II crew consists of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, NASA's Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. Koch is the first woman, Glover the first African-American, and Hansen the first Canadian to reach lunar orbit.
During the mission, the crew on board the Orion spacecraft will move away from Earth to a distance of approximately 370,000. km.
Christina KochJOE MARINO / PAP
The mission will last 10 days and is intended to test Orion's systems in lunar orbit. The launch has already been postponed several times due to technical problems – it was originally planned for February, then March, and finally April.
Victor GloverJOE MARINO / PAP
Donald Trump reacts to the Artemis II mission
Landing humans on the Moon is planned only during the Artemis 4 mission in 2028. Earlier, as part of Artemis III, NASA wants to test systems in Earth orbit. Artemis II is therefore a key stage of preparations for man's return to the Silver Globe.
Artemis II mission before launchCRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH / PAP
Earlier, Donald Trump referred to the planned launch of Artemis II in a post on the Truth Social platform. “We are winning in space, on Earth and everywhere else, economically, militarily and now higher in the stars. No one can match (us)! America is not only competing. We are dominating and the whole world is watching. God bless our amazing astronauts, God bless NASA and God bless the greatest country that has ever existed, the United States of America!” – wrote the US president.
The moment of take-offJim Watson/AFP / AFP
