Artemis II leaves Earth's orbit on track for far side of the Moon

NASA's Artemis II is making a final major maneuver to approach the far side of the Moon, marking humanity's first venture beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The lunar flyby represents a critical test of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft ahead of a planned crewed landing on the Moon's surface. This milestone signals NASA's progress toward its goal of establishing sustained lunar exploration and using the Moon as a staging ground for eventual human missions to Mars. The mission validates the hardware and procedures necessary for returning astronauts to the lunar surface after a 50-year gap. Success on Artemis II strengthens the foundation for Artemis III, which is expected to land the first woman and next man on the Moon.