Artemis II Rockets Beyond Earth Orbit on Historic Mission Around the Moon
NASA’s Artemis II mission reached a major milestone as the Orion spacecraft successfully left Earth orbit and began its historic journey around the far side of the Moon. The crew of four astronauts executed a flawless translunar injection (TLI) burn, propelling them on a looping path that will take them farther from Earth than anyone since 1972.
The five-minute-and-55-second engine burn, confirmed by NASA’s Dr. Lori Glaze, added thousands of kilometres per hour to Orion’s speed, putting the spacecraft on a trajectory expected to extend over 4,700 miles (7,600 km) beyond the Moon, potentially surpassing the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
During a livestream from Orion, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, the first non-American to travel to the Moon, described the crew as “feeling pretty good up here on our way to the Moon.” Hansen paid tribute to the thousands who worked tirelessly on the mission, emphasizing that “it’s your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the Moon.”
Commander Reid Wiseman described the view as “spectacular,” with the crew pausing to marvel at the full globe of Earth from pole to pole. The astronauts said they have been “glued to the window” as the Earth gradually shrinks and the Moon grows in the frame.
The Orion capsule remains fully capable of returning the crew to Earth if an emergency arises. In the first 36 hours after TLI, controllers can perform a “handbrake turn” to bring Orion home. Orion programme manager Howard Hu confirmed that “hundreds of thousands of simulations” were conducted to ensure the crew’s safety.
Looking ahead, the astronauts will witness a total solar eclipse as Orion cruises beyond the Moon, with the Moon obscuring the Sun and Earth visible just to the side.
The mission marks humanity’s first journey beyond Earth orbit in over 50 years, bringing the world one step closer to returning astronauts to the lunar surface. As NASA continues the Artemis program, the Orion spacecraft offers a glimpse of Earth and Moon like never before, inspiring the next generation of explorers.
