WATCH: Historic Artemis II mission to the moon manned with 4 astronauts

NASA's Artemis II mission launched with four astronauts aboard, marking a crewed voyage to the moon as crowds gathered at Kennedy Space Center to witness the historic departure. The mission represents a major step in NASA's effort to return humans to lunar orbit for the first time since the Apollo program ended in 1972. Artemis II will test life support systems and spacecraft performance in preparation for future moon landings, including a planned surface mission. The successful launch demonstrates NASA's progress on its long-term goal to establish sustained human presence on the moon and use it as a stepping stone for Mars exploration. The crew's multi-day mission will include lunar orbit operations before returning to Earth.