More than half a century after the final Apollo lunar mission, four astronauts are traveling to the vicinity of the moon once again.

NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen, lifted off Wednesday from Florida's Kennedy Space Center for a 10-day journey that will take them beyond the moon’s far side. Their trajectory could take them farther from Earth than any humans have traveled before.

NASA has long billed the Artemis lunar exploration program as a stepping stone for exploring deeper into the cosmos.

Artemis II is a test flight that will circumnavigate the moon and not land on the surface. But it will serve as a pathfinder mission for the uncrewed Artemis III mission, which is expected to touch down near the moon’s largely unexplored south pole.

The Artemis program’s overarching goal is to hash out how humans can permanently live and work on the lunar surface.

A man in Titusville, Florida, takes a photo of the moon after watching the launch.
A man in Titusville, Florida, takes a photo of the moon after watching the launch.
Marco Bello/Reuters
People react to the launch in Titusville.
People react to the launch in Titusville.
Marco Bello/Reuters
In this long-exposure photo, the Artemis II rocket leaves behind a trail of dust.
In this long-exposure photo, the Artemis II rocket leaves behind a trail of dust.
Keegan Barber/NASA
The livestream of the launch is played at Dodger Stadium before a Major League Baseball game in Los Angeles.
The livestream of the launch is played at Dodger Stadium before a Major League Baseball game in Los Angeles.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images
Bruno, a child dressed as an astronaut, watches a live broadcast of the launch in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Bruno, a child dressed as an astronaut, watches a live broadcast of the launch in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters
Loved ones and colleagues wave to the Artemis II crew as they leave for the launchpad.
Loved ones and colleagues wave to the Artemis II crew as they leave for the launchpad.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
From left, Artemis II astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch walk out before traveling to the launchpad to board the Orion spacecraft.
From left, Artemis II astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch walk out before traveling to the launchpad to board the Orion spacecraft.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
NASA-themed buttons are displayed as space enthusiasts gather at a Titusville park several hours before the launch.
NASA-themed buttons are displayed as space enthusiasts gather at a Titusville park several hours before the launch.
Miguel J Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP/Getty Images
Space enthusiasts begin to gather at a park in Titusville, several hours before the launch.
Space enthusiasts begin to gather at a park in Titusville, several hours before the launch.
Miguel J Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP/Getty Images
The Artemis II rocket and spacecraft is returned to a launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center on March 20. Just a few hours into a pre-launch test called a wet dress rehearsal in early February, launch controllers found that enough super-chilled liquid hydrogen fuel <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2026%2F02%2F18%2Fscience%2Fartemis-2-nasa-hydrogen-leaks">was leaking at the launchpad</a> to prompt safety concerns. The hydrogen leaks kept cropping up, forcing NASA to halt fuel flow to the rocket multiple times.
The Artemis II rocket and spacecraft is returned to a launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center on March 20. Just a few hours into a pre-launch test called a wet dress rehearsal in early February, launch controllers found that enough super-chilled liquid hydrogen fuel was leaking at the launchpad to prompt safety concerns. The hydrogen leaks kept cropping up, forcing NASA to halt fuel flow to the rocket multiple times.
Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images
The full moon rises behind the Artemis II rocket and spacecraft before a wet dress rehearsal on February 1.
The full moon rises behind the Artemis II rocket and spacecraft before a wet dress rehearsal on February 1.
John Kraus/NASA
Children meet Artemis II crew members at the Kennedy Space Center on January 17.
Children meet Artemis II crew members at the Kennedy Space Center on January 17.
Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Redux
The Artemis II mission patch is seen on the right shoulder of the suits that the crew will wear during the mission on January 17.
The Artemis II mission patch is seen on the right shoulder of the suits that the crew will wear during the mission on January 17.
Joel Kowsky/NASA
NASA's Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule rolls from the vehicle assembly building to the launchpad on January 17.
NASA's Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule rolls from the vehicle assembly building to the launchpad on January 17.
Joe Skipper/Reuters
Glover and Koch participate in lunar observations training in a replica of the Orion spacecraft at Johnson Space Center in Houston in July 2025.
Glover and Koch participate in lunar observations training in a replica of the Orion spacecraft at Johnson Space Center in Houston in July 2025.
James Blair/NASA
Teams work to recover a full-scale replica of the Orion spacecraft as they practice Artemis recovery operations off the coast of California in March 2025. NASA and Department of Defense teams were practicing to recover the Artemis II crew after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Teams work to recover a full-scale replica of the Orion spacecraft as they practice Artemis recovery operations off the coast of California in March 2025. NASA and Department of Defense teams were practicing to recover the Artemis II crew after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Joel Kowsky/NASA
The Artemis II core stage, the largest component of the rocket, is prepared for delivery in New Orleans in July 2024.
The Artemis II core stage, the largest component of the rocket, is prepared for delivery in New Orleans in July 2024.
Michael DeMocker/NASA
From left, Hansen, Glover, Wiseman and Koch can be seen speaking on stage as they are announced as the Artemis II crew in Houston in April 2023.
From left, Hansen, Glover, Wiseman and Koch can be seen speaking on stage as they are announced as the Artemis II crew in Houston in April 2023.
Go Nakamura/Reuters