NASA's Artemis II moon rocket lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-B Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

More than half a century after Apollo 17, NASA has returned astronauts to deep space with the successful launch of Artemis II, a mission sending four humans to cruise around the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.

Lifting off just a minute into a two-hour launch window on Wednesday, April 1, from Kennedy Space Center, the Space Launch System rocket carried the Orion spacecraft, named “Integrity,” into orbit and beyond. The 10-day journey marks a pivotal step toward landing humans on the lunar surface once again — and this time, building a moon base.

The Space Launch System roared to life at 6:35 p.m. EDT, sending Orion and its crew into a spectacular ascent visible across Florida’s coast. Its engines produced a thunderous plume of flame and smoke that lit up the evening sky.

Aboard the spacecraft are astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Koch is set to become the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and journey toward the moon, while Glover will be the first Black astronaut and Hansen the first non-American astronaut to do so.

After reaching orbit, Orion deployed its solar arrays and began transitioning from launch mode to deep-space flight operations. Engineers on the ground immediately started checking critical systems to ensure mission safety.

Roughly 49 minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s upper stage fired to push the spacecraft into an elongated orbit around Earth. A second planned burn will propel Orion into a high Earth orbit about 46,000 miles beyond Earth. After the burn, Orion is slated to separate from the stage, flying free on its own.

The plan is for a six-minute engine burn on April 2 to send Orion on a translunar trajectory, committing the crew to its journey around the moon. The maneuver is designed to create a free-return path that brings the astronauts back home without any further piloting required.

During the mission, astronauts plan to travel about 4,600 miles (7,400 kilometers) beyond the moon’s far side — farther than any humans in history. This record-breaking distance is scheduled on day six of the flight.

As they orbit the moon from afar, the crew plans to photograph the surface, including rarely seen regions of the far side. These observations will support future landing site selection and scientific research.

The mission may also offer views of a total solar eclipse and the bright comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) from deep space. If visible, these celestial events could provide stunning imagery unlike anything captured before.

After completing the lunar flyby, Orion plans to return to Earth, ending on Friday, April 10, with a high-speed reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. The spacecraft’s heat shield will endure extreme temperatures before parachutes deploy for a safe landing.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.