NASA's powerful SLS rocket launched successfully from Cape Canaveral at 6:36pm local time, marking the start of Artemis II. This mission has historic significance, carrying the first woman and Black person to orbit the Moon, a journey that will last about ten days.

The Orion capsule, roughly the size of a large van, is on track to perform crucial tests in Earth's orbit before embarking on its lunar trajectory. By day five, it will cross the Moon’s gravitational sphere, where communications with Earth will be temporarily severed by the moon itself for nearly an hour and a half.

The mission aims not just to establish a safe passage but also to lay the groundwork for future moon bases and sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. This is NASA's bid to reclaim space leadership, facing off against China’s rapidly advancing missions, including planned landings by 2030.

With Artemis III’s timeline pushed back, mastering new technology for landing on the Moon remains paramount. The first manned landing, initially scheduled for Artemis III, is now deferred to a later mission, likely Artemis IV, and will operate without the Gateway station, necessitating significant logistical adjustments.