In brief
In a monumental step for space exploration, the Artemis II crew has left Earth’s orbit and is on its way to the Moon after a flawless translunar injection. This mission not only represents a leap forward in human spaceflight, but also sets the stage for further adventures to Mars.
The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission have now left Earth’s orbit, after their Orion spacecraft fired its main engine for a final push towards the Moon. The five-minute and fifty-five second engine burn, known as the translunar injection (TLI), went 'flawlessly,' Nasa's Dr. Lori Glaze reported.Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen expressed that the crew was 'feeling pretty good up here on our way to the Moon.' The mission is now on a looping path that will carry the crew around the far side of the Moon and back again, marking a historic moment as it's the first time since 1972 that humans have traveled outside of Earth's orbit.Watching the livestream from Orion, Earth appears to shrink as the capsule ventures into the vastness of space. Hansen, the first non-American to travel to the Moon, conveyed that the crew is motivated by everyone who persevered and worked hard on this mission. He emphasized, 'Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of.'After spending a day in a stretched-out 'high Earth orbit' checking the spacecraft's engines and systems, the team received the final go-ahead for the TLI engine burn. The burn added thousands of kilometers per hour to Orion’s ascent speed, propelling the spacecraft into deep space and beyond.The TLI carries the crew to a distance farther from Earth than anyone has ventured before—more than 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers) beyond the Moon—surpassing the Apollo 13 record, depending on trajectory details. Importantly, TLI does not signify a point of no return; mission controllers can still adjust course to return the crew home safely in case of emergencies.On the sixth day of the mission, the astronauts will witness a total solar eclipse as the Moon slides in front of the Sun, revealing its hidden halo. The views through Orion’s windows will transform dramatically as Earth reduces to a small blue marble, setting the stage for an inspiring journey ahead, encapsulating NASA’s spirit of exploration and human perseverance.
