United States has sent astronauts towards the Moon for the first time in over 53 years. On Wednesday, four astronauts from the US space agency NASA began this historic journey aboard the Orion capsule from the Kennedy Space Centre, marking the start of the Artemis II mission.
Humans last travelled to the Moon in 1972. Following NASA’s Apollo 17 mission, this is the first time humans have set off for the Moon again. The mission is viewed as a significant step in the long-term plan to send humans to both the Moon and Mars.
Thousands of people gathered at the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday to witness the launch of the capsule carrying the crew, reports BBC.
According to NASA, the capsule is around 15 feet wide and 9 feet high. It is expected to reach orbit within the next 24 hours, where the astronauts will conduct various experiments. If all systems function correctly, the mission will receive the final “green light” to proceed to the Moon.
At a press conference following the launch, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the astronauts are “safe, secure and in high spirits”.
The four astronauts participating in the ‘Artemis II’ mission are Reid Wiseman, Victor J Glover, and Christina Koch from NASA, alongside Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. During the ten-day mission, they will orbit the Moon before returning to Earth.
The primary goal of this manned experimental flight is to establish regular travel to the Moon. NASA has set a target to land astronauts once again on the Moon’s rugged South Pole by 2028.
Prior to the launch, US President Donald Trump posted a message on the social media platform Truth Social.
