After a day of testing the Orion capsule high above the planet, the crew of the NASA mission became the first people to head into deep space since 1972.

The Artemis II mission is a 10-day test flight around the moon in the Orion crew capsule. As of April 2, the astronauts were orbiting Earth at a height 184 times higher than the International Space Station. The crew is expected to travel farther from Earth than any humans ever have, surpassing the Apollo 13 record.

April 1 (Reuters) - Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a 10-day trip around the moon that would be the farthest humans have ever traveled and a major step toward returning people to the lunar surface this decade.

NASA’s moonbound astronauts have reason to celebrate, and not just because their launch went so well. Their toilet is now working.

NASA's Artemis II crew has successfully launched on a mission that will take it around the moon and back to Earth. A key maneuver Thursday night sent them hurtling toward their lunar target.

History was made on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 p.m. EST the Orion spacecraft—which will carry the Artemis II mission crew—launched into space. This is the first crewed mission to the moon in over 50

A day after liftoff, Artemis II is now well on its way. Four astronauts are on a ten-day voyage around the moon and back, traveling deeper into space than any human has ever before. For more about what’s happening now and what comes next,

April 1 (Reuters) - All three NASA astronauts on the Artemis II lunar mission are veterans of Earth-orbit science expeditions to the International Space Station, while the lone Canadian joining them on a voyage around the moon and back is a spaceflight rookie.

Years of testing, emergency systems and sensors have gone into protecting the astronauts set to head to the moon.