NASA has officially launched its historic Artemis II mission, marking the first time in over five decades that a human crew is heading toward the Moon. Breaking away from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:30 PM local time, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carried four astronauts into the cosmos amid the cheers of nearly 400,000 spectators.

The crew, consisting of NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, will spend 10 days orbiting the Moon. While they will not land on the lunar surface during this mission, their task is critical: testing the spacecraft’s manual controls and life-support systems in deep space. This journey serves as a precursor to NASA’s ultimate goal of returning humans to the lunar surface by 2028. Beyond exploration, the mission aims to tap into lunar resources like water ice, titanium, and helium, which are vital for future deep-space travel. By using the Moon as a testing ground for sustainable living and advanced technology, NASA is paving the long-awaited path for humanity’s first footprints on Mars.