HomeTechnologyArtemis II, NASA's boldest mission in generations, launches crew to the Moon

Artemis II, NASA's boldest mission in generations, launches crew to the Moon

TechnologyApril 2, 2026
1 min read
Artemis II, NASA's boldest mission in generations, launches crew to the Moon
Liftoff of Artemis II with four astronauts occurred at 6:35 pm EDT (22:35 UTC) on Wednesday.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.—Three Americans and one Canadian launched into orbit from Florida's Space Coast on Wednesday, flying the most powerful rocket ridden by humans on the first leg of a nine-day voyage around the Moon.

Perched atop the 322-foot-tall (98-meter) Space Launch System rocket, the four astronauts lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 pm EDT (22:35 UTC).

Four hydrogen-fueled RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters flashed to life to push the nearly 6 million-pound rocket from its moorings at Launch Complex 39B. The engines and boosters collectively generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust, outclassing NASA's Saturn V rocket used for Apollo lunar missions.

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Source: Ars Technica

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