The NASA Artemis II mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. ET (2235 UTC), sending four astronauts on a journey around the Moon.
According to recent updates, the spacecraft has successfully entered Earth’s orbit. It will remain in orbit for the next 24 hours. According to a NASA official, the crew is “safe, protected and in good spirits.”
During the hours spent in high Earth orbit, crew members will conduct extensive investigations before heading to the Moon. Safety tests will include Orion’s propulsion, life-support, navigation and communications to ensure spacecraft readiness prior to “translunar injection.”
Known as a major engine burn, translunar injection will push Orion out of Earth’s grasp and toward the moon.
As reported BBCWednesday’s NASA Artemis rocket launch was also full of challenges.
Technical challenges prior to rocket launch included battery issues for the flight termination system and launch abort system, which give the crew the option to pull the capsule away from danger.
It is the first manned lunar mission launched by NASA in more than 50 years, since the 1972 Apollo missions.
Unlike Apollo, this mission would not involve landing humans on the Moon. During the 10-day mission, the astronauts will fly just around the moon, reaching a distance of more than 248,000 miles from Earth while circling it, the greatest distance from Earth during this phase.
