Astronauts begin NASA lunar mission after climactic blast-off

Four astronauts have blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket, beginning a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

The launch from Kennedy Space Center sent an orange-and-white rocket roaring into the evening sky, carrying Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

The crew is now in orbit around Earth, carrying out critical safety checks on the Orion spacecraft, including complex maneuvers designed to simulate docking with a future lunar lander. Early technical issues, including minor onboard system glitches and a brief communication problem, have been identified and addressed, with officials confirming the crew remains safe and in good condition.

If all goes to plan, the mission will soon push beyond Earth’s orbit on a multi-day journey around the Moon, lasting about 10 days in total. The flight is expected to capture new imagery and data while setting distance records for human space travel.

The mission also marks several historic firsts, including the first woman, first person of color, and first non-American assigned to a lunar mission. It is the inaugural crewed flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, a cornerstone of efforts to return humans to the Moon and eventually establish a long-term presence there.