Nasa’s Artemis II mission launched successfully on Wednesday at 6.35pm local time from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the US space agency’s first crewed lunar flight since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. The four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft are embarking on a 10-day lunar flyby, though they will not land on the moon.
The crew comprises three Americans and one Canadian, making history with its diversity. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen becomes the first non-American to journey to the moon, while Victor Glover is the first person of colour and Christina Koch the first woman on a lunar mission. Commander Reid Wiseman said before launch: “We really are going for all, by all, and we want to take the whole world along with us.”
The lift-off was flawless after a trouble-free countdown, following technical problems that forced Nasa to abandon launch attempts in February and March. Up to half a million spectators gathered on Florida’s space coast to witness the event. Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman said at a post-launch press conference: “We’re going to get back in the business of launching rockets on a regular cadence, and we’re going to bring the world along with us.”
The mission comes amid geopolitical tensions and debates over the value of returning to the moon. However, former astronauts and politicians highlighted the unifying power of spaceflight. Stephen Robinson, a four-time space shuttle flyer, said: “The space program has always been a good news aspect for the humanity in us.” Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut, noted bipartisan support for Nasa, which saw its budget largely restored to $24.4bn in January after proposed cuts.
