NASA’s Artemis II crew—the first humans to journey toward the Moon in over fifty years—successfully reached Earth orbit on Wednesday evening. The milestone was announced just minutes after their Space Launch System (SLS) rocket cleared the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center.
Approximately eight minutes into the flight, the Orion capsule separated as planned from the SLS core stage and began its initial orbit.
The crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—will remain in Earth orbit for approximately 24 hours. During this period, they will conduct critical system checks and a proximity operations demonstration before performing the “Trans-Lunar Injection” burn to begin their 384,000-kilometer (238,606-mile) journey to the Moon.
Artemis II: A historic crew
This mission marks several “firsts” for deep-space exploration. Christina Koch is set to become the first woman to leave low Earth orbit, Victor Glover the first person of color, and Jeremy Hansen the first non-American. While the crew will not land on the lunar surface during this mission, their successful flight is the final test before the Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the Moon’s surface.
As the crew reached orbit, Pilot Victor Glover provided real-time feedback on the spacecraft’s performance during the “proximity operations” (testing how the capsule handles near the rocket’s upper stage):”I see it. Look at that, woohoo! I see the ICPS [rocket stage] and the Moon in the field of view…[The spacecraft] is quite nice and very responsive.”
Mission Specialist Christina Koch reflected on the legacy of the mission shortly before liftoff:”While Artemis builds on Apollo and pays homage to it, there is no way we could be that same mission or ever hope to even be… we are representing all of humanity this time.”
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, said: “Today’s launch marks a defining moment for our nation and for all who believe in exploration. Artemis II…opens the next chapter of lunar exploration beyond Apollo.”
Related: Beyond the Horizon: The Space Frontiers of 2026
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