In a major leap forward for human space flight, NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully fired a critical engine late Thursday, sending its crew beyond Earth’s orbit toward the moon.Trans-lunar injection occurred about 25 hours after liftoff, preparing three American astronauts and one Canadian for lunar flight early next week. The Orion spacecraft departed Earth’s orbit exactly as planned, and began its nearly 400,000-kilometer journey into deep space.“This is the first time humans have left Earth’s orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972,” said NASA official Lori Glaze. He confirmed that the process was flawless.Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen described the crew as “glued to the windows”, mesmerized by the shrinking view of Earth and the vastness beyond. “This is an unprecedented scene,” he said, calling the mission a reflection of humanity’s shared ambition.After spending a day testing life-support systems in Earth orbit, the crew was cleared to proceed to the Moon. This mission is an important step in NASA’s long-term goal of establishing a sustained human presence on the lunar surface.Commander Reed Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Hansen will circle the moon before returning to Earth, without landing. During the mission, they are expected to travel farther from Earth than any human before, surpassing the record set during Apollo 13 in 1970, and may also set a new speed record during re-entry on April 10.The flight is already historic: Glover, Koch and Hansen are the first black astronauts, the first women and the first non-Americans to visit the Moon — marking a significant change from the all-male, all-white crews of the Apollo-era.Mission Control set the tone with a musical wake-up call before giving final approval for engine burn, and described the journey as “humanity’s lunar homecoming”. The spacecraft is now following a free-return trajectory, using the Earth and Moon’s gravity to complete its figure-eight path.The next milestone will come with Monday’s lunar flyby, when Orion will pass about 6,400 kilometers beyond the moon, offering a rare view of its far side. Astronauts can also hope to see a total solar eclipse from space.Despite the milestones, the mission has not been without minor setbacks. A malfunction in the spacecraft’s toilet system required an immediate fix, while cold cabin temperatures forced the crew to sit in bed. Engineers also addressed the water dispenser issue by instructing the astronauts to fill backup storage bags with drinking water.NASA hopes Artemis II will pave the way for future lunar landings, including a planned crewed mission to the Moon later this decade – marking the beginning of a new era of human exploration beyond Earth.
