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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Marcia Dunn

Artemis II leaves Earth’s orbit and heads for the moon

  • NASA's Artemis II mission successfully propelled its astronauts out of Earth's orbit and onto a trajectory toward the moon, 25 hours after liftoff.
  • The crew, consisting of three American and one Canadian astronauts, is now pursuing the moon nearly 250,000 miles distant for a lunar fly-around early next week.
  • This mission will see the astronauts become the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth, surpassing the Apollo 13 distance record set in 1970.
  • Astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen have made history as the first Black, first woman, and first non-U.S. citizen, respectively, to launch to the moon.
  • The Artemis II test flight is a crucial step for NASA's broader plans for a moon base and sustained lunar living, despite minor initial issues with the capsule's toilet and cabin temperature.

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