NASA’s Artemis II mission reached a key milestone as four astronauts began their journey toward the Moon following a major engine firing. This marks the first crewed lunar flyby in over half a century.
The Orion spacecraft’s engine generated enough thrust to accelerate a stationary vehicle to highway speed in under three seconds, propelling the astronauts on a trajectory around the Moon for the 10-day mission. Astronaut Jeremy Hansen described the firing as “flawless” and said humanity had once again proven its capabilities.
Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen spent the early hours in space performing system checks and resolving minor technical issues, including a communications glitch and a temporarily malfunctioning toilet. Koch humorously described herself as the “space plumber” after the toilet issue was resolved.
The crew experienced breathtaking views of Earth and the Moon from their windows. Christina Koch noted the stunning sight of the home planet illuminated like day while the Moon glowed against the sunset, describing the moment as “breathtaking.”
NASA officials confirmed the crew is now on a “free-return” trajectory, using the Moon’s gravity to loop around it before heading back to Earth without additional propulsion. The astronauts’ suits double as survival systems, providing oxygen, temperature control, and pressure regulation for up to six days.
The mission includes daily 30-minute exercise sessions on a flywheel device to minimize muscle and bone loss in microgravity. Artemis II also breaks new ground by sending the first person of color, the first woman, and the first non-American on a lunar mission.
This mission is part of a broader plan for repeated lunar exploration, with the ultimate goal of establishing a permanent base by 2028. If successful, the crew could travel farther from Earth than any humans in history, highlighting the historic scale and ambition of the Artemis program.
