LIVENASA's Artemis Il sets off on historic first manned mission to the moon in 50 years: 'We have a beautiful moonrise. We're headed right at it!'

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NASA’s Artemis II rocket took off in a blaze of glory on it’s mission to the moon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday afternoon. 

It is the furthest space exploration mission undertaken in human history, coming 57 years after American astronauts first set foot on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. 

The countdown began at 4.44pm EST this afternoon with the rocket taking off at 6.35pm EST. Optimal weather allowed for the launch to be cleared, with backup windows scheduled through the week until April 6.

The launch was delayed earlier as engineers worked on a critical safety issue within the rocket. 

Derrol Nail, a NASA commentator who is in the launch control room claimed there was a problem with the Space Launch System rocket’s flight termination system. Engineers also discovered a problem with the battery on the launch abort system, which ejects the capsule containing the astronauts away from the rocket in case of an issue during flight.  

Artemis II sent NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the first mission to reach the moon since 1972.

The ten-day journey will see the astronauts launch into orbit and then separate their Orion spacecraft from the launch vehicle, break out of low-Earth orbit, circle the moon and then return.

The historic flight is the first step in NASA’s new multi-step to land on the moon by 2028 at the earliest.

 

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Artemis II: Inside NASA’s first moon mission in over 50 years

Inside NASA’s first mission to the Moon in over 50 years
Nasa’s hotly anticipated Artemis II mission will see four astronauts venture past the ‘dark side’ of the moon, marking the first time humans will have left Earth’s orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Breaking:NASA’s Artemis II lifts off on historic mission to the moon

Artemis II has successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying four crew members on a ten-day mission to reach the moon for the first time since 1972.

The NASA spacecraft officially launched at 6.35pm ET on Wednesday after passing all systems checks with no problems.

Four minutes into the flight, Artemis II crossed the boundary into space with no issues in the flight.

NASA astronaut and mission commander reported: ‘We have a beautiful moonrise. We’re headed right at it!’

NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., April 1, 2026. REUTERS/Joe Skipper

NASA's Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon (Official Broadcast) | (1) NASA's Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon (Official Broadcast) / X - https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1jxXgeyMkokJZ

00:18

Artemis II launch projected onto the Washington Monument

The Artemis II’s takeoff was projected onto the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. this evening for city residents to enjoy.

‘Cheering on the astronauts and crew of Artemis II from America’s Front Yard. Out of this world!’ The National Mall wrote on X.

00:04

Travels get front row seats to the Artemis II launch

Some lucky people had a front row seat to the historic Artemis II launch, catching views from an airplane.

23:43

Star Trek icon William Shatner shares what astronauts are feeling during historic space flight

Star Trek’s William Shatner not only played the famous Captain Kirk, he also traveled to space himself in 2021.

Drawing on his experience during the Blue Origin flight, Shatner, 95, told CNN that he was extremely tense watching the first few minutes of the Artemis II launch Wednesday evening, before feeling immense pride in NASA’s long-awaited triumph.

Shatner said: ‘What a shaking of the fist for the victory and what a what a plug for American technology ad American space program.’

As for what the crew of Artemis II was likely seeing and feeling on their historic mission, the sci-fi icon said the view from space can be overwhelming, seeing the stark contrast between the darkness of space and the beauty of Earth.

‘I went to the window to look at the magic, and I saw this black, palpable, darkness, which was death. And I looked behind me, and I saw the the beige of the desert and the white of the clouds, the blue, the sky. That’s life. That’s death.’

The acting legend also spoke about the participation of his home country of Canada in the Artemis project and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen being a member of the crew.

‘We’re very proud of what, Canadians have contributed to this, exploration of space exploration, of mankind’s reach,’ Shatner said.

‘The possibility of going to Mars and discovering more about the mystery of the universe, all that so many nations have contributed and led by America and its unquestionable excellence in technological advancement.’

NASA's Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon (Official Broadcast) | Erin Burnett OutFront - Web Player - https://dailymailny.cloud.snapstream.com/Play/MediaItem/1be9a864-3160-45c4-ad5d-d932a41eee09

23:43

Canadian Space Agency staffers cheer on Artemis II launch

Members of the Canadian Space Agency cheered as they watched the Artemis II launch.

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to go to the moon. It is also the 50-year-old from Ontario’s first time going to space.

Employees of the Canadian Space Agency react during the successful launch of the Artemis II moon mission, at the Canadian Space Agency, in Longueuil, Quebec, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques reacts during a watch party for the launch of the Artemis II moon mission, at the Canadian Space Agency, in Longueuil, Quebec, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

Employees of the Canadian Space Agency react during the successful launch of the Artemis II moon mission, at the Canadian Space Agency, in Longueuil, Quebec, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

23:31

Onlookers watch rocket launch in NYC

Crowds gathered outside the News Corp building in Manhattan to watch the Artemis II launch.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 1: People watch the Artemis II crewed lunar mission launch on televisions outside of the News Corp building on April 1, 2026 in New York City. The 10-day mission will take NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen around the moon and back. The astronauts are supposed to fly 230,000 miles out into space, the farthest any human has ever traveled from Earth. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 1: People watch the Artemis II crewed lunar mission launch on a television outside of the News Corp building on April 1, 2026 in New York City. The 10-day mission will take NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen around the moon and back. The astronauts are supposed to fly 230,000 miles out into space, the farthest any human has ever traveled from Earth. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 1: People watch the Artemis II crewed lunar mission launch on televisions outside of the News Corp building on April 1, 2026 in New York City. The 10-day mission will take NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen around the moon and back. The astronauts are supposed to fly 230,000 miles out into space, the farthest any human has ever traveled from Earth. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)

23:29

Moment of separation captured in stunning footage

The Orion capsule separated from the SLS rocket’s Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS), an upper stage mechanism responsible for adjusting the capsule’s orbit, just a little over eight minutes after launch.

23:15

PICTURED: The moment Artemis II took off in it’s historic mission to space

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying NASA's Artemis II Orion to fly by the moon, ascends after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. April 1, 2026. REUTERS/Steve Nesius TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion crew capsule, ascends after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. April 1, 2026. REUTERS/Steve Nesius

A US and Artemis flag are seen as the Artemis II crewed lunar mission lifts off from Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 1, 2026. Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket April 1 on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. With an intense roar that reverberated far beyond the launchpad, the enormous orange-and-white rocket carried three Americans and one Canadian away from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at approximately 6:35 pm local time, according to an AFP journalist onsite. "We're going to the Moon!" yelled a spectator. (Photo by Gregg Newton / AFP via Getty Images)

23:14

Artemis II launch displayed at Los Angeles Dodgers game

The Artemis II launch was displayed on the stadium screens at the Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Cleveland Guardians.

Members of the Cleveland Guardians warm up as NASA'S Artemis ll rocket is seen prior to launch from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on the big screen above them prior to a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

23:13

Animation shows the precision path Artemis II will take to reach the moon

A stunning animation shows the exact path the Artemis II crew will take during the 10-day mission.

23:08

National Weather Service captures Artemis II crew flying by on satellite

The National Weather Service captured the Artemis II crew zipping through the atmosphere on its satellite.

‘It’s a bird…It’s a plane…It’s the Artemis II crew on their way to the moon!’ NWS Atlanta wrote on X.

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