The Trajectory of the Artemis II Moon Mission Is a Feat of Engineering

NASA has launched Artemis II, sending four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule atop the Space Launch System for a crewed lunar flyby.

The mission will not enter lunar orbit; after Earth-orbit checks, Orion will swing past the Moon and use gravity for a figure-eight return to Earth.

Artemis II is the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 and will test NASA’s deep-space systems, navigation, communications, and safety.

The flight is expected to last about nine days and end with a Pacific Ocean splashdown.

The mission also aims to set a new distance record for crewed space travel.