CAPE CANAVERAL, United States: Four astronauts blasted off aboard a powerful NASA rocket on Wednesday, embarking on a long-awaited mission around the Moon — the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.
The mission signals a new era of lunar exploration, with astronauts set to travel farther into space than any crew in decades and lay the groundwork for future long-term missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
The mission, dubbed Artemis II, has been years in development, overcoming repeated delays and significant cost overruns.
Liftoff.
The Artemis II mission launched from @NASAKennedy at 6:35pm ET (2235 UTC), propelling four astronauts on a journey around the Moon.
Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap — astronauts on Mars. pic.twitter.com/ENQA4RTqAc
— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2026
The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Together, they will undertake a 10-day journey that will take them around the Moon without landing, following a trajectory similar to Apollo 8.
NASA began fueling the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage early Wednesday morning, loading approximately 733,000 gallons of super-cooled propellant to power the rocket’s four RS-25 engines. These powerful engines, built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, previously served as the main engines for NASA’s Space Shuttle program for decades.
“Everything is going very well right now,” said assistant launch director Jeremy Graeber, referring to the fueling process.
“Certainly all indications are right now, we are in excellent, excellent shape as we get into count,” launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson told reporters earlier in the week.
The launch had initially been scheduled for February 6 and later March 6, but was postponed due to a persistent hydrogen leak. This issue required NASA to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for further inspection and repairs.
The mission represents a series of historic milestones, as it includes the first woman, the first person of colour, and the first non-American ever to travel on a lunar mission.
It also serves as a crucial test for NASA’s deep-space exploration systems, paving the way for future missions that aim to land astronauts on the Moon and eventually support sustained human presence there.
Beyond its symbolic importance, Artemis II is expected to provide valuable data on crew safety, spacecraft performance, and long-duration spaceflight, all of which will be essential for upcoming missions deeper into the solar system, including potential journeys to Mars.
“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,” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social.
