Astronauts aboard Artemis II are now on course for a historic lunar flyby after a critical engine firing successfully propelled their spacecraft toward the Moon.
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The NASA mission marked a major milestone as the Orion capsule executed a nearly six-minute engine burn, placing the crew on a “free-return” trajectory that will carry them around the Moon and back to Earth without further propulsion.
Launched aboard the Space Launch System from Kennedy Space Center, the four-member crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — are undertaking humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon in more than 50 years.
Following the maneuver, Hansen described the moment as a testament to human capability, while Koch highlighted the breathtaking views of Earth and the Moon from space. The astronauts reported spending time observing the scenery, conducting system checks, and resolving minor technical issues, including a temporary communications glitch and a spacecraft toilet malfunction.
The crew is also maintaining a strict fitness routine to counter the effects of microgravity, using onboard exercise equipment during the 10-day mission.
This mission represents several milestones, including the first time a woman, a person of colour, and a non-American are part of a lunar mission. It is also a key step in NASA’s broader Artemis programme, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2028 and eventually establish a sustained presence there.
If successful, Artemis II could see its crew travel farther from Earth than any humans in history, setting the stage for a new era of deep space exploration.
