NASA Launches Astronauts on Historic Lunar Mission After Dramatic Blast-Off

Four astronauts have successfully begun a historic journey around the Moon after a dramatic launch by NASA, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

The mission, known as Artemis II, blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the powerful Space Launch System rocket carrying the crew into orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft.

The crew, comprising three Americans and one Canadian, is embarking on a roughly 10-day mission that will take them around the Moon and back to Earth without landing.

NASA said the mission is a crucial test flight designed to evaluate the spacecraft’s life-support systems, navigation, and overall performance ahead of future lunar landings.

During the journey, the astronauts are expected to travel farther from Earth than any humans in history, flying past the far side of the Moon before returning for a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

The launch represents a major milestone in NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon and pave the way for eventual missions to Mars.

Officials described the mission as a significant step towards future crewed lunar landings, with subsequent missions expected to build on the data and experience gathered from Artemis II.

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