Florida: Humans have taken a major step back toward the Moon after the successful launch of Artemis II, the first crewed mission to travel toward the Moon in more than 50 years.
The mission was launched by NASA using its powerful Space Launch System rocket. It carries four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen from Canada.
This mission does not include a Moon landing, but it is an important test flight. The astronauts will travel around the Moon and return to Earth after about ten days in space. During the journey, the team will test life support systems, check the safety of the spacecraft and study how humans can live and work in deep space.
Artemis II will take the crew about 250,000 miles from Earth, making it one of the farthest distances travelled by humans in space since the Apollo missions ended in 1972.
The mission is also historic for its diverse crew. It includes the first woman and the first Black astronaut to travel toward the Moon, as well as the first non American astronaut to take part in such a mission.
The Artemis programme aims to bring humans back to the Moon in the coming years. The next mission, Artemis III, is expected to attempt a landing on the lunar surface and could pave the way for a long term human presence on the Moon.
The success of Artemis II marks a new chapter in space exploration and brings the world closer to seeing humans walk on the Moon once again.