In a historic leap for space exploration, the Artemis II mission propelled its crew into the annals of history on Wednesday as NASA’s Orion spacecraft embarked on a groundbreaking journey around the moon. This mission marks the first human expedition beyond low-Earth orbit in over half a century.

Esteemed astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch from the United States, alongside Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, took their places aboard the towering 322-foot Orion spacecraft. They launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B, setting forth on this monumental voyage just hours after boarding.

Artemis II is poised to take the crew on a path around the moon and back, a feat not achieved since the Apollo era concluded in 1972. This mission signifies a pivotal step in space exploration, even though the crew will not be setting foot on the lunar surface.

The journey is aimed at propelling the astronauts further into space than any other crewed mission has ventured since the days of Apollo. This ambitious endeavor stands as a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of exploring outer space.

As dawn broke over Kennedy Space Center on March 24, 2026, the Space Launch System rocket, bearing the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission, stood poised on Launch Complex 39B, ready to usher humanity into a new era of exploration. NASA hails the Orion spacecraft as its most powerful launch system to date, underscoring the significance of this mission in the broader context of space exploration.

NASA describes the Orion spacecraft as the most powerful launch system rocket it has ever built.

Standing 322 feet tall, the rocket will send the spacecraft and its crew into deep space for the first time, testing critical systems ahead of proposed future lunar landing missions.

Now that the crew is in space, its members are expected to spend several days in space, including a multi-day journey around the far side of the moon before returning to Earth for a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover attend a welcome ceremony at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 27, 2026, ahead of the Artemis II mission launch scheduled for April 1, 2026. (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP)

NASA intended to launch Artemis II in February, but technical issues discovered during testing forced the agency to push it back. Such issues included fuel and helium leaks that required additional repairs to the Space Launch System rocket.

Artemis II follows the uncrewed Artemis I test flight and is considered a major step toward future missions, including Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the moon.

NASA said previously that the Artemis program is intended to support long-term lunar exploration and lay the groundwork for human missions to Mars.

Trump hails NASA’s Artemis II as astronauts prepare for first deep space mission beyond Earth orbit since 1972, orbiting the moon. (Getty Images)

President Donald Trump established the Artemis program during his first term in 2017 as part of a broader push to return American astronauts to the moon.

Hours before the rocket launch, Trump celebrated the Artemis II mission.

“America is going back to the Moon!,” he said. “America doesn’t just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole World is watching. God bless our incredible Astronauts, God bless NASA, and God bless the Greatest Nation ever to exist, the United States of America!”

House Speaker Mike Johnson also praised the crew and NASA on Wednesday.

“Praying for the safety and success of the Artemis II crew and @NASA as they undertake a mission that will carry humanity farther into space than we have gone in over half a century,” he said. “I had the privilege of hosting these courageous pioneers at the State of the Union earlier this year. Americans are watching proudly as our Golden Age reaches new heights!”