At 00:35 local time in Sweden, the first trip to the Moon in 53 years lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, U.S. The same place where the Apollo missions launched in the 1960s and 1970s.
With their heading toward the Moon, about 400,000 kilometers away, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen left Earth to the roar of the Space Launch System (SLS) engines. A short time later, NASA announced that the astronauts had reached Earth's orbit and that the SLS had separated.
Many spectators had gathered outside the restricted area to watch the launch in person. NASA also provided a live broadcast for space enthusiasts around the world.
The capsule with the astronauts will now remain in Earth orbit for just over a day before continuing on to the Moon. The astronauts are expected to reach a greater distance from Earth than any humans before them, orbit the Moon and return home, landing in the Pacific Ocean, AP writes.
Facts: The Man on the Moon
There are several reasons why humans want to go to the Moon.
The Moon's polar regions contain water ice that can be used to produce oxygen and fuel.
The lunar surface contains metals and other resources that could be important for future space exploration. There are also rare earth elements on the Moon that could be brought back to Earth, as well as an isotope, helium-3, that is extremely rare on Earth. It is a potential fuel for future clean fusion energy.
Scientists also point out that the Moon is a natural testing ground for the next steps in space travel, with locations that are attractive for future bases.
The Moon is also a challenging environment, with harmful radiation and fine lunar dust that can wear down equipment.
Traveling to the Moon remains technically demanding. Everything needed for the journey must be brought from Earth, including fuel for the entire trip, which places great demands on both rockets and systems.
Source: Swedish Space Agency
