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The Curious Personal Items Artemis II Astronauts Took to the Moon
Four astronauts - in a globally anticipated event - took off this Wednesday, April 1st, aboard a huge NASA rocket on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. With an intense roar that resonated far beyond the launch pad, the huge orange and white rocket lifted off with three Americans and one Canadian from Kennedy Space Center in Florida around 5:35 p.m. Colombian time. NASA officials and spectators alike celebrated the launch of the spacecraft as it soared away from Earth, a milestone finally realized after years of delays and enormous cost overruns for the United States.
TL;DR
- Four astronauts launched on a 10-day mission around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years.
- The crew includes historic firsts: the first African American to fly to the Moon (Victor Glover) and the first woman on a lunar mission (Christina Koch).
- Astronauts brought personal items: Reid Wiseman brought a notebook, Christina Koch brought notes from loved ones, Jeremy Hansen brought earrings representing his family, and Victor J. Glover brought a Bible and marriage vows.
- The mission is the first crewed flight of NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
- If successful, astronauts will venture farther from Earth than any human before, potentially setting a new record.
- Former President Donald Trump commented on the launch, stating the U.S. dominates in space.